Thank You
by MizuToriFFN
Summary: The look Yaoyorozu had on her face after her loss against Tokoyami was one Midoriya knew all too well (IzuMomo/Izuku X Momo)
1. Chapter 1

**The start of this fic is just a little wonky, but gets way better. The early chapters are being edited to fix all my inexperienced writer mistakes from when I started writing this. I'm putting this here for the people that skip the notes. Chapters 1-3 are fixed, and the further you read the far less mistakes you'll find. At this point it's just bad autocorrect and typos due to writing super late at night and having no brain power. Also, the story in general just gets better as I learn. Being 50 chapters in at the time of writing this, I can confidently say I've gotten somewhat of a handle on things. I really hope you like my story. ^_^ **

There were a number of feelings that Izuku Midoriya was familiar with. Defeat, sadness, frustration, and hopelessness just for starters. All of which he became well acquainted with at the young age of four. Growing up quirkless in this world made that inevitable, and as much as he doesn't like it, these are feelings that were still stuck with him even to this day.

After meeting All Might, gaining his unimaginable power, passing the entrance exam to his dream school and All Might's alma mater U.A High, and making REAL friends. Ones that don't mock you, threaten you, and hurt you in every which way. Things seemed to be turning up for the better, even with the backlash One for All and the USJ attack, his personal life was looking up. One would think that you could move on from such a bad past.

Wrong

Well, at least mostly. Many nights he still had nightmares about it. Sometimes he would be in the doctor's office where he got the worst news of his life. Or sometimes it was about blonde spikes and explosions, and only in the recent year he's had nightmares of Kacchan's "advice". Those memories and feelings stick with someone for life. So long that you can recognize when others are going through the same feelings as you. That is what he is witnessing right now, someone who shared that pain with him. Someone who could (at least slightly) understand.

That someone was none other than Momo Yaoyarozu, the Creation Quirk user VP of Class 1-A, the smartest out of all the first years, and considered by many to be the prettiest as well. He had never really spoken to her all that much. Not even when they were both chosen as the representatives for their class, back before he had given the position of Class President to Iida.

Besides his sheer terror of talking to highly attractive women, (oh who was he kidding, women in general) his introvertness and difference in friend groups never really gave him the chance to even attempt to talk to her. They weren't really friends, just classmates. He couldn't deny that she was an outstanding student with an unbelievable quirk to boot, and from what he could pick up on from a distance, a wonderfully nice person.

Yet still, just a classmate. One that he highly respected, but classmates nonetheless.

But...that look on her face...he couldn't just sit there and do nothing. He watched her as she walked out of the Tournament Arena, freshly defeated from her fight with Tokoyami. At that moment, time seemed to grind to an eerily slow pace. He could read her face like the books she reads to learn molecular structures. The self-doubt, the feeling of powerlessness, the...disappointment. Those weren't just feelings, they were powerful beings themselves. Like parasites, they latched on to you and wipe you of any confidence you have in yourself. Slowly breaking you down over time until you can't be fixed.

"I'm already too far gone, but...maybe I can help her befor-...I-..." Before the quirk inheritor could even sift through any reluctance he had, he had shot out of his seat and was running down towards the gateway where Yaoyorozu have should entered from without even thinking. He never even noticed the odd looks from his classmates.

Uraraka raised an eyebrow and yell, "Deku!? Where are you goin'!" Her question fell upon deaf ears as the Green Mop-headed boy was already gone. "Where's he going? He looked like he was in a hurry. D'you guys think somethings wrong?" the brunette best friend of Midoriya asked, genuinely concerned.

Kaminari, sitting nearby, chuckled, "Maybe he got sick of Bakugou's constant grumbling over not getting first in any event?"

"FUCK OFF YOU OVERGROWN HAND BUZZER! GO TRY TO MAKE A COMMENT LIKE THAT TO THE VINE BITCH!"

"Aw c'mon man, at least I tried!" the most Electrifying Student in Anime entertainment tried to defend himself.

Iida then launched up from his seat, "LANGUAGE BAKUGOU! AND HOW DARE YOU REFER TO FELLOW STUDENTS IN SUCH A MANNER! DO YOU WANT OUR CLASSES TO BE MORE HOSTILE TO EACH OTHER THAN THEY ALREADY ARE!

"FUCK YOU FOUR EYES! I-"  
…

Meanwhile, as all hell broke loose up in the stands, Izuku had made it to the entrance point to the arena. But, Yaoyorozu was nowhere to be found. He started to wander the halls, hoping she didn't leave the stadium grounds all together.

_*Sniff*_

Looking to his right, around the corner was the rich girl herself. Sitting against the wall of a deserted hallway, a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs, tears flowing down her face, was Yaoyorozu Momo. This was where the One for All user stopped dead in his tracks. Girls he already can't handle, but a crying one he should stay thousands of feet away from. He couldn't even handle when his own mother cried.

_'I c-can't just leave her l-like this. I...I...all those times when I was in the exact position as her. Alone, crying, feeling hopeless. Everytime, I just wished someone was there. I already can't leave, my body won't let me until I help her. And even if I could, I wouldn't be able to live with myself, much less feel worthy of being of hero if I left. I HAVE TO HELP HER! NO MATTER WHAT!'_

Izuku's heart and mind we're set. Being who he was, no matter how nervous he was he would always help. He steeled himself, and took a step towards Yaoyorozu.

As soon as his first step rang throughout the hallway, Momo jumped in shock believing no one would come down this seemingly unused hallway. She believed someone would probably come looking for her eventually, but not so soon. She was then even more flabbergasted when it wasn't Jirou, Uraraka, or any of the other girls of Class 1-A that showed up...but Midoriya.

Izuku Midoriya. The timid, shy boy with the heart of hero and the strangest quirk she had ever seen. Not because it caused some kind of wacky or extraordinary mutation, but because of the backlash it caused. Sure quirks had weaknesses, and if used too much could cause a strain on the body. She had learned that young when her parents warned her of the limited lipids in her body when she started to become malnourished from overuse (She tried to create more books to read when she became impatient for trips to the bookstore). But, to cause the breaking of one's own limbs when used was just entirely unheard of.

Yet, even with his quirk she could tell he was someone with a bright future as a hero. He was always adapting, no matter the situation. Even on the first day of school when he went from injuring his whole arm to just his finger. He expressed the ideals of a true hero more than anyone she had ever known, and (at least what she had been told by Uraraka) was one of the nicest and caring people around. She, like the rest of her class excluding Bakugou and apparently Todoroki, was impressed by him.

Yet, that was where there acquaintance ended. So…why was he the one to show up?

"Um...I-uh…m-mind if I s-s-sit down...f-f-for a minute?" She listened as he barely managed to get that sentence out. She knew he was shy, but this was a whole new level than anything she had ever seen. She realized she hadn't responded yet, not knowing what to say.

"Well, I-"

"I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW AND I JUST WANTED TO HELP YOU!"

Momo's eyes widened, startled at the sudden outburst. Her tears had even subsided from shock. His bellowed and rushed words were barely translated in her mind.  
Realizing how, to put it nicely, weird that must have been for her; Midoriya tried again.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't m-mean to shout I just...um…" He then bowed down. "Please, allow me to start over. I know we d-don't exactly know one another all that well, b-but I have something I would like to say."

He was met with silence, so he took that as a green light to continue. Izuku sat down next to Momo, about one foot apart from each other. Not knowing where exactly to start now that he had made it that far, he deduced that maybe he should start with her fight. That would be the most difficult part for her to think about. He wanted to make this as easy for her as possible without.

"I...I know how your fight with Tokoyami is making you feeling right now." While he wasn't looking at her, he could tell she was awkwardly shuffling in her spot, clearly uneasy about it. But, Midoriya knew he couldn't stop now, not if he wanted to save her from turning out like him. "I-I know because I've felt that way my entire life. I've never believed in myself. It feels suffocating, like it's trying to drown the rest of you out to the point of where all you feel is just...disappointment. Not just in yourself, but you start to feel others disappointment in you. It wears you down. I mean, I don't exactly make it hard to see that I'm n-not confident. It's only recently that I have been able to feel proud of myself for things. B-But, if there is anyone in this school that shouldn't feel like that's it's you."

He finally felt her eyes on him. He had fully gotten her attention now. And his stuttering was becoming sparse for now, so he took advantage of it.

"I mean...I'm not all that much. Besides my body destroying quirk that I can't even control, I'm as plain as they come. B-But...but you, I mean look at you. You're Momo Yaoyorozu. Amazing quirk, you're as smart as they come; you could give Principal Nezu a run for his money I'm sure. I-I heard from Kaminari about your plan back at USJ that saved you, him, and Jirou. You even made weapons on the spot for them. That's incredible! I'm just ecstatic th-that you're such a nice person and don't have an ego like Kacchan's".

She giggled at that. A clearly wobbly, tear filled giggle, but it's still a giggle._ 'Okay, okay this is working Izuku. Keep it up. Plus Ultra on an emotional level!'_

"Tokoyami is strong, b-but you shouldn't let this drag you down. I-It was one fight, and we're only going to get stronger from here. L-Let's both go beyond, and do our best together! So we can make sure that we never lose, or let these emotions drag us down again!"

That was by far the longest one on one conversation he had ever had with a girl, and now that he was out of material he didn't exactly know what to do.

"Um...s-so...I-I hope that helps. Uh...I should... probably get back. Kirishima's fight is about to start and I-"

He couldn't finish his sentence because a soft, warm mass slammed into his side and a pair of arms wrapped around his neck. Something placed itself into the crook his neck, with hot tears hitting his skin and clothes.

A hug...

From a girl...

That was crying...

Said girl was Yaoyorozu...

He was being hugged by a crying Yaoyorozu.  
He had never felt his whole body lock up so fast or his face become so hot and red before.

"Thank you" was all she said. Slightly muffled from face her pressing against his neck, but he heard it. His job comforting wasn't done...not just yet. He forced his arms to move and lightly hug back. Granted, his arms moved like the Tin Man BEFORE he got oiled, but he knew she needed this. And maybe he did a little too.

_'I'll just think of this as training for when I have to comfort civilians in the future'_ Midoriya tried to rationalize in his head. He tried to ignore the extreme blushing he was doing and the two large, soft masses he could feel on his torso. So, he decided that maybe doing this for a while longer wasn't too bad.

"UP NEXT WE HAVE THE MANLIEST MAN OF CLASS 1-A EIJIROU KIRISHIMA VS CLASS 1-B'S TOUGH AND LITERALLY AS HARD AS NAILS TETSUTETSU!" Present Mic blared over the intercom.

Momo looked up slightly. "Should we go watch Kirishima's fight?"

Midoriya thought about it for a second and replied, "Actually, I have a feeling that's not going to be a very interesting battle."

To be continued...


	2. Before The Fight

Izuku forgot that broken arms suck...a lot. It had been a bit since he had fully broken one. But, he'd do it again and again if he had to for the sake of another friend. Well, at least he hoped he and Todoroki were friends now. Either way, it was worth the scars.

In all actuality, he would take the scars anyday over the scoldings he received from Recovery Girl and Yaoyorozu. There was no doubt the one he would receive from his mother would be no fun either. Or swimming through the tears she most definitely shed the entire time, flooding their apartment.

Luckily, All Might wasn't too hard on him. All Might was probably just happy that he had won in the end. Well...kind of.

...

**(2 Hours Earlier)**

Izuku and Momo had to go back to the stands eventually. Midoriya was still in the tournament after all. When they separated, both with slight blushes, and by slight that meant Momo had a slight blush and Midoriya looked like a full blown tomato. But, Momo was smiling again, so he counted this as an absolute win. They had heard about Kirishima's fight against Tetsutetsu over the intercom and were glad they skipped out on it, as funny as it would have been to see.

Just as they were about to enter the stadium for their class, Momo gasped. "Midoriya! You're shoulder!" Midoriya looked to his shoulder and realized he had a large stain from Yaoyorozu's tears.

"Oh! Um...uh l-let's just say I got distracted muttering to myself at the water fountain again" Izuku chuckled.

"Wait, again?"

"OH LOOK! Uraraka's match is starting! C'mon, let's go watch hahahaha!" Izuku laughed awkwardly, changing the subject quickly. They sat down beside each other in the front row, and watched the next fight. The Explosive Loud Mouth Katsuki Bakugou versus the Physics Defying Ochako Uraraka.

Sadly, things didn't end well for their friend. Even with an ingenious plan like her "Meteor Shower", the sheer amount of Bakugou's raw power and endurance of his quirk was something she just couldn't pinpoint.

Midoriya and the rest of his class watched Uraraka get carried off of the arena. The entire stadium, especially Class 1-A, had uneasy looks on their faces. Knowing how important winning for the sake of her parents was to Uraraka, Izuku was already fearing that he would have to do another heart to heart session with Uraraka like he did with Yaoyorozu. He turned to his right and looked at her, and she seemed just as worried about Uraraka as he was. Which wasn't surprising saying that she just saw a friend collapse from a fight with Egosive Temper (Explosive temper and Ego mixed together, just in case someone missed it).

"Midoriya?" Izuku was shot out of his thoughts by Iida. They looked at each other with the same worry on their faces. Iida broke the silence, "Do you think Uraraka will be okay? This meant so much to her, and as her good friend and of course her Class Representative, I can't help but worry for her morale."

Midoriya brought his hand up to hold his chin, "I know. I'm worried too. Recovery Girl shouldn't take long to heal her. I'm gonna go check on her."

"I'll come too!" Midoriya whipped around at Yaoyorozu's words. She leaned in close to Izuku, causing him to, of course, lock up and blush. She spoke at a volume only he could hear, "I might not know the full extent of Ochako's reasoning for winning the tournament like you and Iida do, but if she's going through something similar to what I was then I want to help too. Besides, that way you don't have to do it alone this time."

If it did turn out like Momo's situation, then Izuku truly was grateful for having someone with him. For all he knew, his success in helping Yaoyorozu was a fluke. These close and personal confrontations were something he wasn't use to. He couldn't fail his friend when she really needed it. Having Yaoyorozu with him would be reassuring.

"If you two are going then I will stay behind, I don't want to overwhelm her. But I would hurry Midoriya, you're up first for the next round," Iida chimed in.

_'Oh crap.'_ With everything that happened he had forgotten about Todoroki and his vow to win without using fire. First Todoroki, then Momo, and now Uraraka. Out of all days Izuku had figured the physical fighting tournament would have been one of the less emotional ones.

Izuku nodded to Iida, and he and Momo then took off to the waiting rooms. His classmates wished him luck as he left, while also questioning when and how Midoriya and Yaoyorozu became chummy with one another.

When the two reached their destination, they both reached for the handle at the same time, brushing hands together. Izuku recoiled his hand back so fast he nearly knocked himself over. "S-Sorry! Uh, go ahead!"

Momo looked away and cleared her throat, and was about to open the door until she realized something. She didn't really know what to expect when she opened the door.

It was clear from Midoriya and Iida that Uraraka had more important intentions for the Sports Festival than just winning for the fun of it or sportsmanship. Of course, they all wanted to be recognized by other heroes for offers and such, but Uraraka was dead-set on having a spotlight.

"Is something wrong Yaoyorozu?"

She turned her head to Midoriya, who had a curious look on his face. "Well...it's just that I was wondering why exactly was Ochako so passionate about winning the Sports Festival. We all want to win of course, but you and Iida seemed to imply that this meant much more to her than it did most. Would it be a breach of her privacy for me to know?"

Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Well, n-not exactly. I'm just not sure how many people sh-she wants knowing her personal problems. It's related to why she wants t-to be a hero so badly,"s Izuku said, unsure if he should tell Yaoyorozu or not.

"Midoriya please, I…I want to help Ochako like you helped me."

Midoriya contemplated for a minute, but finally spoke, "She's doing it for her parents. Financially...t-they're not doing too well, and she wants to earn l-lots of money so she can give them a better life. Winning the Sports Festival would be a huge step forward to achieving that. Oh! And please don't think of her any differently for being a hero for the money. I actually really admire her for that! I-I know I'm going to help my mom out in any way possible for all that she's done for me so…"

"Don't worry Midoriya, I know Ochako isn't like that. I also find it very admirable. It's sweet of you to look out for her image like that," Momo smiled.

"Wha- I- I mean -thank uh, t-thank you," Midoriya sputtered out, red continuing to brush his cheeks.

_'I wonder if Midoriya is getting sick. He's been red in the face for a while. His freckles are even starting to fade with it. Hm? I've never noticed how they are formed in the exact shape of a diamond. That's adorable. Wait. What?' _ Momo's eyes widened at that rogue thought, but ultimately decided to ignore it. Brushing it off as just that, a rogue thought. They needed to get back to the task at hand anyway.

Momo turned the handle on the door and only got it open just barely an inch or so before they heard voices. Peeking in, they saw Uraraka on the phone, both trying to ignore how close they had to be to each other to see inside.

"I'm so sorry…I...I...I failed _*sob*,_" The gravity quirk user sobbed into the phone. The two eavesdroppers could only assume she was talking to one or both of her parents. They could barely hear the person on the other end of the line. The masculine voice confirmed to them it was her father.

_"Failed? What on Earth are you talkin' bout!? You were incredible! Your mother and I are so proud!"_

"But D-Dad, I...I lost! An-and I wasn' incredible! I got slaughtered out there! I thought I had a good plan but as soon as it failed I had nothin'! My self-confidence blew up right in my face!"

_"Yeah you may have lost, but it was such a close match. I crushed my coffee cup when your 'Meteor crash or shower thing' started. My hand's gonna bruise from your mother squeezing it so hard. Besides, you got next year. AND the year after that! So, why are you in such a hurry to win right now?"_

"Dad I...I wanna support you an' Mom as soon as I can. I-".

_" 'Chako, we'll be just fine. There's no need to rush. Your focus should be on bein' a hero first...then you can shower your old man in moolah. *SMACK* Ow! Yes uh, and your mother too." _Uraraka smiled at her parents antics. _"Listen, what I'm saying is...we can wait 'cause we know there is no doubt you will achieve your goal. 'Cause my sweet, kind, amazing Ochako...you will be a great hero."_

It was at that point Uraraka lost it. Her tears flowed tenfold, but she had a smile on her face. So it seemed everything would be fine in the end. The two eavesdropping U.A students looked at one another, and slowly closed the door as to not be heard. After backing away, Yaoyorozu looked to Midoriya.

"I don't think we were the ones she needed cheering up from."

"Y-yeah, let's just leave them to it. They'll be just fine. Now I-I gotta go, my fight with Todoroki is s-soon. I should get to my waiting area," Midoriya said, turning away down the hall.

Momo sped up to him and walked alongside him. "Actually Midoriya, I would like to speak with you about that. You see-"

"You! Boy!"

The U.A students were shocked to see the Number 2 Hero and Todoroki's father Endeavor, leaning against the wall down the right of the hall. His height and glare alone were intimidating enough for the two, but the flames made it worse. It also didn't help Midoriya having the knowledge of Endeavor's domestic past. That said, the One for All inheritor inched a little closer to Yaoyorozu, just in case. Not that he thought of her in a domestic or marital way or- _'Now is not the time brain!'_

"Midoriya, right? Your quirk, it's similar to All Might's."

"S-So I've been told," Midoriya almost tiredly spoke, getting a little tired of hearing that phrase. He least of all wanted to hear that from Endeavor. Speaking of whom...

"You're the perfect test for my son. I have no doubt my rebellious child realized that, and has already told you of my reasoning. He needs to accept he was created to surpass that bastard All Might. There's no sense in defying it. You're gonna push his limits, give him the fight of his life, and get him to use his gifted flames. Do you understand?"

Before Midoriya could respond, Yaoyorozu shot back first. "Created!? He's your son, not a test subject! You can't just-"

"Be quiet girl. You can't even begin to understand my situation," the hero growled. He stopped himself, grumbled and calmed himself down before continuing. "I do NOT need advice from children. Especially from a girl who can't even think fast enough to not lose a fight in 10 seconds. Now you stay out of my business, and Midoriya...do as you're told," he hissed through gritted teeth at Yaoyorozu and started to walk away.

Midoriya saw her visibly flinch at that. He may have been able to do damage control, but her wounds of morale were still fresh and would be hard to heal. He needed to say something. "I am not All Might." Endeavor halted in his tracks, and turned to look at the Quirk Inheritor. "And Todoroki isn't you. He isn't anyone, but himself. He'll make his own path, as a person, and as a hero. As a friend, I...I-I won't let you and your ideas for him hold him back from being the hero I'm sure he wants to be."

Endeavor's flames began to flow at an alarming rate. Midoriya was surprised the smoke detectors weren't going off. "You'd best watch yourself boy. That mouth of yours won't help you in your fight," the walking flamethrower grunted out, and began to walk away again. But, this temporary shot of confidence in Midoriya wasn't through just yet.

"And I think you should listen Yaoyorozu! You could use her advice. She's already far more intelligent and far more of a hero than you'll ever be!"

"Uh Midoriya, you don't have to-"

But it was too late. Endeavor was nose to nose with Midoriya in an instant. Irises and pupils shrunken, veins bulging off his face. The mix of pure rage and heat coming from the #2 Hero was singeing the quirk inheritor's arm hair off.

Midoriya did his best to act confident but his trembling clearly showed. Just as Endeavor was about to lift his hand, to do what they didn't know, Yaoyorozu jumped in and pulled Midoriya back.

"C'mon Midoriya, your fight is in a few minutes. Besides, I'm sure Mr. Endeavor here doesn't need assault on minors added to his hero record."

That made Endeavor reel back a bit. He let off a burst of flames in anger and walked off.

"Fucking kids."

The students reached the waiting room with about four minutes to spare before Midoriya had to go out and fight Todoroki. Just enough time for Midoriya to recompose himself by utterly collapsing into chair, hyperventilate, and mutter up a storm.

"Crapcrapcrap I can't believe I just did that! What's gonna happen now! He was completely livid and now I have the number two hero and his son both out for me. Not even counting the villains and Kacchan. Oh why do I have to keep pissing off the wrong people all the time and-"

He stopped when he felt two hands firmly grasp his shoulders, "Midoriya, breathe."He did as instructed, but was still breathing a little fast. At this point though it was probably due to a girl grabbing on to him. "We're just students. U.A students for that matter. He can't even think a harmful thought about us or he'll lose his hero license," Yaoyorozu reassured him and releasing her grip on him.

"Yeah...yeah your right... thanks."

They smiled to one another.

"Besides, you need to focus on your fight. Which brings me back to what I was saying before that whole...fiasco." Midoriya looked to her with curiosity, wondering what she was getting at. "Midoriya, I just wanted to say, please...don't hurt yourself too much. I know it's impossible to say 'Don't hurt yourself at all' with your quirk, but... please just try. I know today is the first time we've ever really talked, at least like actual friends. Yet, after everything that's happened today...I can't help but feel extremely worried," Yaoyorozu shared her concerns, tugging on her front bang. A habit she seemed to have picked up from Jirou and her earphone jacks.

Midoriya looked at her with worry, "I...I-I wanna say yes, but I don't think my quirk will allow it."

"Please Midoriya. There has to be a way to regulate your power. Lessen the amount of power you use? Maybe don't shove all your power into your arms, just a small amount."

She was desperately trying to come up with ideas. She had seen Midoriya injured before, she never liked it, but now that they were getting closer...she REALLY didn't like it.

Midoriya thought for a second and replied,

"I t-think I can lower the amount of power I put into my limbs, but I have no idea how much I can use without injury. Not to mention how much power it's gonna take to destroy Todoroki's glaciers."

Momo looked down dejected, but she understood. Todoroki was extremely powerful. There were very little options in defense against him besides dodging or blasting through. And dodging seemed to be off the table for Midoriya.

"I…*_sigh_* I know. Then please, promise me you'll win. For the both of us. If I can't continue then win for us both."

Midoriya saw the look on her face when he denied her the first promise. After earlier today, seeing her sad in any form or fashion was unacceptable to him. His mind and heart was set.

"I promise both!"

"Huh?" Yaoyorozu raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I promise I won't hurt myself too badly, AND I'll win the fight! I won't let you down." He had absolutely no idea exactly HOW he would do that. But, he was going to. Maybe seeing her bounce back from her sadness today had inspired him a little, to feel less like he couldn't do something. 'We_ haven't even been friends for a day and she's already helping me. She really is going to be an amazing hero'_

Momo smiled at him, and lunged at him for another hug. Once again, he became stiffer than a board.

"Next fighters, come to the arena" came Aizawa's unmistakable bored and tired tone over the intercom.

Momo gave Midoriya's torso one last squeeze, "Thank you. Now, go win this!"

Midoriya smacked his cheeks and nodded. And began to walk out the gateway. He had already internally promised to help Todoroki, and promised All Might he would do his best, and now he promised Yaoyorozu to not get too badly hurt AND to win. He had no idea what to do, but as he saw Todoroki enter from the other side of the stadium, and looked back through the doorway and saw Yaoyorozu smile at him. All he knew was this.

…He was going to keep all 4 of his promises.

...No matter what.


	3. Step One

'I immediately regret those promises!'

Izuku was already down three fingers, and that was not even counting the two that were still healing from his fight with Shinsou. He didn't even mean to break them. When Todoroki shot out his ice as soon as Midnight started the fight, instinct took over his mind and before he knew it, his pointer finger was down for the count.

He had to repeat it a second and third time immediately afterwards. He only had a few seconds before Todoroki recovered from his wind attack. At this rate, he wouldn't be able to keep a single promise.

This definitely wasn't his best performance, so All Might would be disappointed. He wouldn't be able to get through to Todoroki this way. And he CERTAINLY wasn't keeping his promises to Yaoyorozu. He had already broken two fingers, and if he kept it up he wouldn't win.

Izuku had come out of the waiting room with a three step plan. Step 1: Figure out how to not hurt himself. Step 2: Get Todoroki to use his flames, saving him from himself. Finally, Step 3: Win. Simple, right? Except his hyper-analytical brain forgot one small detail. How the HELL was he supposed to start step one!?

He needed a new plan. And he needed it now. He owed it to too many people. _'Come on! I just need to think! I can't keep this up!'_

He could see Todoroki begin to recover on the other side of the arena. Midoriya looked up into the stands and could see Yaoyorozu. Complete worry and fear were etched into her face. He was letting her down. He needed to do something. His speech to her would feel meaningless if he told her all about doing her best, but then was utterly slaughtered by Todoroki.

Near her was Kacchan, looking almost disgusted at Midoriya's performance. For Midoriya showing such power, or for such a terrible strategy, he couldn't tell. It was probably both.

_'Of course, Kacchan would look at me like that. All he would have to do is blast the ice away, like how he fought against Uraraka...Just like I'm doing right now against Todoroki. Which clearly isn't working. I need the exact opposite. Which would be-'_

His eyes moved over and down the rows to Uraraka and Iida, also looking concerned. _'Running._ _Uraraka charged right into Kacchan, and even though she was wearing herself down with every hit, that kind of pressure is exactly what I need on Todoroki.'_

Izuku then focused in on Iida_. 'I also need that kind of speed to avoid the ice! it spreads way to fast and wide to dodge normally. Besides my legs will just break if I put my power into them! I can't...wait a minute. Legs.'_

_("As you are now, your body can handle about 5 percent.")_

_("Maybe, don't shove all of your power into your arms-")_

"I HAVE LEGS!"

Midoriya's scream echoed throughout the entire stadium. Everyone went dead quiet after hearing that. The only thing that was heard was All Might face palming.

Todoroki hesitated for a second, but regained his composure and took Midoriya's sudden... realization...to his advantage. He slammed his foot down and sent out an ice attack big enough to stop a Semi Truck. Everyone watched the ice encapsulate Midoriya. Unlike Sero, they could not see him. He was completely covered.

Silence rang throughout the stadium once more. Class 1-A was looking on in horror. Yaoyorozu had both hands over her mouth and was wide eyed. The only one to speak was Bakugou. "Welp, he's dead."

Todoroki turned to Midnight. "Shouldn't you be saying something?"

Midnight shook out of her stupor, "Oh, yes. Izuku Midoriya is unable to continue. Todoroki is the wi-"

_*THUMP*_

All eyes turned back to the glacier that was Midoriya.

_*THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP*_

Each hit of the ice showed more and more cracking.

*THUMP*

The knocking suddenly stopped. Everyone had assumed it was Midoriya's last ditch effort to break free before being declared the loser. It seemed he had finally accepted his f-

*_CRASH_*

"SMAAAAAASH!

Midoriya flew right out of the miniature iceberg and dropped kicked Todoroki in the face, breaking the ice, and soon Fire User's nose in the process.

Todoroki was shot back, only barely stopping himself with ice before falling out of the ring. Looking up, there was Midoriya in the middle of the ring. Red, vein-like lightning was crackling through his legs. Everything was quiet until Yaoyorozua All Might shot out of their seat stands. Toshinori popped right into his buff form, raising both arms high. Both simultaneously shouted, "YES!"

The crowd followed their example and went berserk, thrilled by the turn around. Midoriya could barely hear himself think. Yaoyorozu heard a giggle behind her turned around. Mina was smirking at her with an eyebrow raised. "You're pretty pumped up for Midoriya right now Yaomomo."

Momo blushed, cleared her throat and sat back down, not dignifying Mina's teasing with a response.

Back down on the field, Midoriya looked down at his legs. '_I can handle 5% of my power, and I don't need just my arms for this fight. I'll put 5% of power into each leg. I can switch in between my arms and legs, only using full power as a last resort. And with that iceberg in the ring, the space has lessened, allowing me to keep the pressure on easier. All Might, Uraraka, Iida,... Yaoyorozu. I wouldn't have been able to figure this out without any of you...Thank you. I won't let any of you down.'_

Midoriya looked up into the crowd at Momo, smiled, and gave a thumbs up.

Step 1: COMPLETE


	4. Step Two

At first, the fight was going perfect for Todoroki.

Midoriya was slowly breaking himself down while all he had to do was keep sending ice his way. His frostbite had hardly even started, and Midoriya was down 3 fingers. The anger his father was surely feeling was just icing on the cake.

Now though, about three-fourths of the ring remained after his latest attack, Midoriya had randomly pulled a whole new way of fighting out of his ass. And now he had a broken nose while being pressured against the edges of the ring.

Only one thing could go through Todoroki's head,

'_What the hell is going on!?'_

All the while, as Todoroki's exasperation grew, so did Midoriya's frustration.

As soon as the fight had resumed, things immediately turned for the 9th inheritor's favor. Todoroki had tried to use his ice to slide away from the edge of the ring, but Midoriya needed Todoroki to stay stressed and pressured. He needed the heterochromatic teen always on edge, figuratively and literally. It was easier to convince someone to do something that way.

That was how the other bullies would convince him to do things for them back at Aldera. Like let them cheat off his answers, do their homework for them, etc. They would corner him and wouldn't let him out until he agreed. The only harassment Kacchan didn't take part in. He would never want, or need Deku's help with anything educational.

Using his new technique, Midoriya lept forward in the blink of an eye, and dealt a right hook to Todoroki's jaw.

"5% TEXAS SMASH!"

However, Todoroki's reflexes kicked in and be grabbed onto Midoriya's right shoulder, encasing it in ice. Midoriya planted both feet on Todoroki's chest and pushed off. Landing 7-8 meters away.

"WHOOOOAAAH! ITS SEEEMS OUR MEAN, GREEN, BONE BREAKING MACHINE HAS JUST PULLED A NEW TRICK OUT OF HIS HAT! HE MANAGED TO NOT BREAK HIS BONES WITH THAT ATTACK! WHAT DO YA THINK ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS NEW MOVES ERASER!?", Present Mic blared over the intercom. Aizawa just sighed in what sounded like relief,

"Thank gods finally."

All Might viewed the fight in awe, wide-eyed and slack jawed at what seemed to be his protégé finally grasping One for All in a whole new way.

_'Did...did I teach him that?...I'll just take what I can get and go with yes.'_

Back in the ring, Midoriya's body felt like a human Pac-Man level. His power moving to and from all corners of his body ('_All_ _Might was right, I need to stop with these weird analogies')._ His punch hadn't had as much power to it as he had hoped.

'_Switching between my arms and legs is too slow. One for All couldn't make it in time for the hit. It was essentially just a regular punch. Not to mention my already broken fingers.' _

Midoriya transported his power to his left arm, and punched the ice off of his shoulder. He had no more time to think because Todoroki immediately blasted more ice his direction.

With no time to switch to his legs, he batted away the ice with a backhand. Nowhere near as effective as his finger flicks, but it smashed that smaller ice attack. Todoroki began to rush away from the edge of ring, using his right foot to send a curved glacier attack at Midoriya.

Midoriya jumped away from the ice, only to have his arm left arm frozen. Todoroki had used the curved ice as bait to make Midoriya have to turn his head far enough to the side so he wouldn't see Todoroki's next attack.

Before Midoriya could send One for All into his right arm, the ice continued to crawl up his body and encase his whole torso. His shoulders and hips were frozen, making movement even more difficult.

Todoroki wasn't about to take any more chances, he prepared one final attack.

'_No! It's not ending here! Not like this!' _

"OH! AND THE HUMAN TWO SIDES OF A PILLOW AT NIGHT MANAGES TO CAPTURE MIDORIYA ONCE AGAIN! WILL HIS NEW MOVES GET HIM OUT OF THIS ONE!?"

Midoriya refused to lose against an opponent who was handicapping themselves. While Midoriya isn't a man of pride, this was too much. Not only that, but if this is how he lost, he wasn't sure how he would be able to look at Yaoyorozu or All Might afterwards.

He needed to speed up Step 2. ASAP

"Why won't you use your fire!?" belted out Midoriya.

Todoroki halted, at first shocked, but then angry.

"Did...did my old man put you up to this!? Are you trying to get me to use my left side for _HIM_!?"

Todoroki's pause gave Midoriya just the smallest amount of time he needed to think of how to escape…and it was dumb.

Like, really stupid.

But it was all he had, and besides. While this was still reckless, Aizawa couldn't exactly tell him he DIDN'T use his head.

"No! I'm not doing this for him! I'm doing this for me!-"

Five. Just five percent. No more.

"for the people I owe my life!-"

He sent it straight up through his body

"for the people who support me!-"

He thought of All Might, his mom, his friends, especially his newfound connection to Momo

"But right now,more importantly-"

The entire crowd noticed Midoriya's forehead begin to glow and crackle.

"I'M DOING THIS FOR YOU!"

He slammed his head down, headbutting the ice surrounding him.

Ice shattered everywhere, fog and mist from the ice surrounded the area of impact. When it cleared, Midoriya stood, free from his ice prison.

Blood from a gash on his head from a sharp edge of the ice oozed down the side of his face. His forehead bright red and irritated.

"You can't live like this. Having others hold you down. Having a piece of you that you hate, keeping you from being the best you can be. I know what that's like. But I'm not letting those things hold me back anymore! I'm giving it my all to be here!

Midoriya jumped forward and slammed his fist into Todoroki's stomach, his adrenaline too high to give a damn about his finger being battered on. Todoroki skidded to the ground.

"Look at me! My head, my fingers, even with your ice attacks, you haven't even laid a scratch of your own on me! I'm trying to be a hero, one that smiles, and one that everyone looks up to! Everyone here is, and they all are giving everything to do it! If you can't do that then you don't deserve to win! SO COME AT ME WITH EVERYTHING YOU GOT".

The stadium was silent, no one could believe or even understand what was happening.

Todoroki clenched his fist, frustrated at the entire situation.

"I won't...I refuse to use his damn quirk."

"IT'S YOURS! IT'S YOUR POWER NOT HIS!"

Todoroki's eyes widened. Everything around him disappeared. His memories, long forgotten, flooded in like a dam had broken.

His mother and him, sitting down watching All Might on the television. She spoke to him.

"_You want to be a hero, right Shoto? That's good, you aren't bound by his blood. You will be who you want to be. You'll be your own amazing hero"._

He looked up to Midoriya and the next thing everybody knew, an explosion of heat and fire erupted from the arena.

Step 2: Complete.


	5. Step Three

"Holy shit! That's a lot of fire!" Kaminari ever so delicately put.

For Class 1-A, excluding Midoriya and Todoroki, the entire fight had been, to put it lightly, a shitshow. No one had a single clue to what was going on. They had no idea how Midoriya stopped breaking his bones, what all the stuff Midoriya had been screaming about was, or why all of a sudden Todoroki had started to use his flames. All they knew was that the fight was in the endgame now. The closest to Midoriya in the stands were growing excessively worried. Namely Uraraka, Iida, Asui, and Yaoyorozu. Uraraka was squinting at the arena blinded by the fire. She raised her arms in front of her face to block the blinding light.

"That fire, it's so hot. Do...Do you guys think Deku can still win this?"

'_That's the question of the hour isn't it,' _Momo thought to herself. She couldn't believe it. He was doing it. While at the start Midoriya had it rough, he made a breakthrough. He had kept his promise. As much as she had utmost faith in Midoriya, she hadn't expected...that. She knew she had been asking far too much of Midoriya to suddenly figure out how to stop breaking all of his bones. Well, she THOUGHT she was asking too much. Apparently Midoriya thought otherwise. He had done it. While he had still broken a few fingers, she expected that. All she wanted was for him to not break everything. She heard about the entrance exam, about how he broke his arm and both of his legs. She learned at the U.S.J attack he broke a finger and both of his legs. She just didn't want him utterly broken. But, Midoriya will always be Midoriya. In the little time they had been classmates, he had already left a major impression. Always surprising everybody, helping them, doing things for them. '_He managed to go past his limitations and with that look on his face, he clearly has every intention to win. And he's doing it...for me.'_

She couldn't help the flutter that came to life in her chest. Before she could even try to explain it, Iida responded to Uraraka's question.

"Midoriya is injured worse than Todoroki is, but that hasn't stopped him before. It depends on how powerful Todoroki's fire is. We've never seen him use it to it fullest before, but from what we're seeing right now...I can't be sure."

Asui spoke up too, bluntly as ever. "I don't think so. Now that Todoroki has both of his abilities, and Midoriya already had trouble with only his ice, then I thin-"

"He'll do it." The three students whipped their heads to their right. Momo was standing, both hands on the railing, staring directly into the ring. The light of the flames illuminating off of her face, shining in her eyes. "Midoriya's going to win. I know he will."

…

"SHOOOOTOOOOOOO!" All attention in the stadium immediately focused onto Endeavor, stomping his way down the stand steps. "YES! YOU'VE FINALLY ACCEPTED YOUR DESTINY. USE YOUR LEFT SIDE AND LIVE UP TO THE REASON I CREATED YOU!"

Present Mic came back in over the intercom. **"ENDEAVOR SUDDENLY SHOUTS WORDS OF... ENCOURAGEMENT!? WHAT A DOTING FATHER?"**

Endeavor focused back in on his son and faltered. His son was simply smiling, not even paying attention to him. He looked over to Midoriya and saw he was smiling too.

'_Whatever that boy has done, I can't help but thank him. He really did it. My legacy will finally live on,' _the Walking Matchstick said, smiling widely.

Todoroki felt his body heat rise. It was new; it had been so long since he had ever used his fire. He felt the frostbite slowly melt away, the mix of hot and cold leaving him warm. A nice, warm sensation, traveling through his body.

Who would have ever thought that using his left side would ever feel so...nice.

But he couldn't dwell on it. He had a battle to win. He looked up to Midoriya, who was...smiling? Up in the teacher's stands, All Might saw this smile as well. _'Young Midoriya, was...was your plan all along?'_

Todoroki furrowed his brow at Midoriya, who was still standing there smiling at him. "What's the matter with you? Why are you smiling?" Midoriya shook out of his stupor, remembering where he was. Todoroki's flames still flowed out of his left side, almost like the surface of the sun. The dual hair colored teen spoke again, "Your helping your opponent in battle. So, who's screwing around now?"

The response Todoroki got was Midoriya furrowing his brow, utter determination carved onto his face. "Todoroki, I'm not someone who has a lot of pride and this may sound like something Kacchan would say, but...What's the point of beating an opponent that wasn't at their best?"

"Oh yeah? That's a pretty high assumption. What makes you so sure you're gonna win?"

Midoriya looked over his shoulder, up to his class's seats. He could see Yaoyorozu, standing up looking directly at him. Not an ounce of fear or worry in her eyes.

...She believed in him.

He looked back at Todoroki and smiled,

"Because I made a promise. So losing is NOT an option!"

Midoriya raised his right foot and slammed down. Five percent, coursing and crackling through his leg, ready for take off. Todoroki did the same. Ice and cold air spreading from his right foot, and blazing flames bursting out of his left side. Midoriya had a plan. He'd been pulling out all of the cards for this fight. Yaoyorozu had inspired him that day. She had sent his mind haywire, going 110% to think of everything just to keep his promise. He had used her, Uraraka, Iida, All Might, and Kacchan for ideas.

And Kacchan was going to help him one last time.

_'Sorry Yaoyorozu, but this will require everything I've got too!'_

Time seemed to slow down for Midoriya. Todoroki's ice wall came at him with full force from his foot. Midoriya jumped over the ice, on his way to Todoroki. 5 percent wasn't enough to get him to the Half n' Half quirk user in one jump. So he raised his power slightly and began to jump and hop off of jagged spikes sticking out of the ice floor, quickly making his way over to his opponent.

Bakugou eyes widened at Deku's movements, _'Those are my moves!'_

Todoroki engulfed himself and half of the ring in his flames. He looked like a blazing comet standing still. Cememtoss and Midnight came to the realization that the two boys of unbelievable power were about to clash full force. The R-rated Heroine already tore at the sleeve of her costume, gas leaking from her arm.

"BOYS! STOP! THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR A PUBLIC AREA! YOU'LL GET YOURSELF KILLED!"

Cementoss was trying to stop it too, sending concrete out to reform the arena. Izuku pushed as hard as he could for one last launch at Todoroki. Too in the moment to realize he put 50% into his leg, fractures cracking into the surface of the bone but not breaking his leg. He switched from leg to arm, 100 percent of One For All crackling and zipping through every last muscle fiber. The sleeve of his gym uniform shred and flew off. By instinct he was using his right arm, the arm with broken fingers already plaguing it.

_'I'll win this! Come at me with your full power Todoroki!' _He yanked his arm back, ready to rocket his fist forward.

Todoroki raised a searing and golden hand, ready to meet Midoriya.

"I understand Midoriya…" The entire crowd stood, fear flowing through their bodies. "...Thank you."

Tall cement walls tried to block the attacks, but were all shattered like glass. An explosion ripped through the air. Wind gushing out of and throughout the stadium. Up in the stands, everyone was either blocking their faces or holding on for dear life in fear of being caught in the wind.

"This is insane!" Kirishima yelled over the rush of wind in his ears. The rest of the class couldn't agree more, watching the explosion caused by their classmates/powerhouses.

Midoriya was flying in the air, caught in the explosion. Time grinded to a slow, as he watched the ground come hurtling towards him. He knew he wouldn't be able to plant his feet from the start, but it was worse than he expected.

His final plan had went from 70% skill and 30% luck, to 100% luck.

_'No! I'll still win!' _He thought of his idea from before the attack. He needed to execute it perfectly. This is where Kacchan will help him. Back during their first Battle Training, Kacchan used smaller explosions to redirect himself in the air. _'I don't have explosions! But I do have my fingers!'_

Midoriya pressed his pointer finger of his left hand this time, due to his right hand being shattered and having three fingers on that hand broken twice now, behind his thumb.

And flicked.

"DELAWARE SMAAAASH!"

He had no time to aim. He just had to assume the explosion propelled him back in a straight line. The force from his flick propelled him like a torpedo right back into ground zero of the explosion. Dust and smoke still everywhere, he couldn't see a thing. So he cocked his shoulder out, ready to ram into anything.

Hopefully Todoroki and not the wall.

_'Please, PLEASE be Todoroki!'_

It felt like minutes, even though it was only about 2 seconds, but he finally ran into something.

No. Not something. Someone.

The hit caused Izuku to lose his momentum and slide across the floor. The injuries, the force from the explosion, and the likely concussion he got from headbutting the ice earlier were getting to him. Consciousness was slipping from his grasp. The dust and debris finally settled. The entire audience looked on to the ring. They saw Midoriya, barely awake lying just inches from the edge of the ring, and Todoroki against the wall outside of the ring holding his stomach where he was hit by a teenage torpedo.

"Todoroki is out of bounds! The winner is Izuku Midoriya!"

The cheers of the crowd started to become muffled to Izuku, his vision began to tunnel. He smiled and laughed.

"Step three... complete."

Midoriya then promptly passed out.


	6. After the Fight

As Midoriya was being carried off of what remained of the ring on a stretcher, Yaoyorozu, Uraraka, Iida, and Asui all stood, about to rush down to check on the Quirk Inheritor's status. As Momo began running out the door, she was stopped by Jirou. "Hey! Where are you going, Yaomomo?"

Yaoyorozu stopped and looked to Jirou. In all of the events that had transpired that day, she had almost forgotten about her purple haired rocker best friend, Kyouka. "Sorry Kyouka, but I really need to go check on Midoriya."

"Wait, Midoriya? Not that I'm not concerned for his health, but I just didn't know you guys were close."

Yaoyorozu looked back, twiddling her thumbs, "It's...a fairly recent connection. You can come if you want, but if not I really need to get down there."

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Jirou was still a little confused. It really wasn't that she didn't care about Midoriya's health. They haven't spoken too much, but when they did he had always seemed like a really nice guy. She once caught him listening to a band she liked when his headphone cord unplugged when it caught onto a door handle. She also saw him laugh at quite a few of her jabs at Kaminari. She could easily see being friends with him someday. But right now the only real male friend she had in class was Kaminari, and he was an idiot. The girls were kind of a tight knit group in class as of yet with the exception of Uraraka.

So now all of a sudden in the past hour her best friend had magically grown fond of the Green-Headed Bone Buster. Yaomomo was looking nearly panicked for Midoriya right then. Her focus only on getting to him. Kyouka had more than a few questions. Her first one being,_ 'Why the hell does it bother me so much?'_

She would have to save the questions for later, for they had arrived at Recovery Girl's stadium office. Before they could open the door, Recovery Girl popped her head out of the door. "I'm sorry. I know you're worried, but you can't come in. I have to put this numbskull through surgery."

"SURGERY!" they all said in shock. Recovery Girl flinched at the sudden noise. She checked her ears and continued.

"Yes, surgery. It's nothing too bad, it's just on his hand. Three of his fingers were broken twice. I need to remove the bone shards that have fallen out of place and put back together what I can. My quirk will be able to heal the rest when he wakes up and recuperates."

_'That still sounds kinda bad,' _the U.A students thought in unison. But, they still couldn't help but sigh in relief that their friend wasn't too hurt.

Momo put a hand over her heart and sighed happily, "Oh thank goodness".

She missed the raised eyebrows she was getting from Uraraka and Jirou.

"However…" All eyes snapped back to Recovery Girl, who had an almost guilty look on her face. "...with how long the surgery will take, how long it will take for him to wake up, gain his stamina back, and then lose it due to my quirk, and finally I'll have to test him for post-concussion syndrome, that could take 1 and a half to possibly 3 hours. I'm sorry, but I've called up to Eraser and told him to withdraw Midoriya from the tournament."

"WHAT?!" they all yelled in unison.

Momo tried to speak up, "But Midoriya earned this! It's important to him! That's not fair. You can't just-"

"Stop yelling. Ugh, but yes I know it's not fair. I'm sorry but he needs time to heal. Time I doubt will be given. I've already healed Young Todoroki, he's going to continue on by default."

"But-" Before Yaoyorozu could continue, Iida put a hand on her shoulder, signalling her to stop.

"I'm not happy either Yaoyorozu, none of us are. But... she's right. We can't have Midoriya going out there to fight in bad condition." Momo looked down in dejection, knowing they were right. Recovery Girl took this as acceptance.

"Now, I have to start the surgery. You can wait out here if you want."

With that the "youthful" hero took her leave to start the surgery. Leaving the rest of the students to their somber moods. Iida looked up to the rest of his friends. "I'm up next in the tournament, and as Class President I should be there to support the rest of our class. Please keep me informed on Midoriya's status. I promise, I'll do my best to fight on and win for Midoriya!" Iida exclaimed with his movements stiff and exaggerated as ever.

With that he sped off towards the waiting area to prepare for his next fight. As they looked on at the trail Iida left behind him, Uraraka turned to the other girls. "There's a mounted T.V over there in front of those chairs. I'm gonna to just watch Iida's fight here and wait for Deku. Are you guys goin' back?"

Jirou looked to Uraraka, "Nah, I'll stay. Might as well see how Greeny holds up. Hey Yaomomo, are-...uh, Yaomomo?" Jirou and Uraraka looked at Yaoyorozu, who was staring down the hallway that Iida had left. Frustration etched into her usually smooth and porcelain face.

_'What Iida said...how he promised to fight and win for Midoriya's sake. It was just like what Midoriya had promised me, but...it felt wrong. He shouldn't have to make that promise for Midoriya. Midoriya should be able to fulfill his own promise and goals. He won. He evolved himself so much in one fight, he won, he EARNED the right to be able to fight on. He definitely earned the right to have time to rest before his fight. He's done so much for me in just one day. I have to do everything I can to pay him back.' _Momo whipped around to the other girls. "I'll be right back! Please call me if anything bad happens to Midoriya!"

"Wait! Where are you going!?" But it was too late. Jirou's words fell on deaf ears, for Momo had already turned the corner down the hall.

…

Momo ran up flights of stairs, heading towards the announcer's booth. When she made it to the top floor entrance, she reached for the door handle...only for it to open up and knock her down. She tumbled backwards about to fall back down the stairs, but was caught by wrapping. She looked back to see holding his capture tape between the two nubs of his cast hands. He lifted her back to her feet. "Yaoyorozu, are you alright?" the still monotone as ever voice of Aizawa spoke.

"Yes sir, I'm fine," Momo said patting her clothes down.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I have something important to attend to."

"Wait! Mr. Aizawa please, I have something to tell you!" He looked back to her. His silence signalling her to continue. "Please...find a way to keep Midoriya in the tournament. He deserves to have his chance to win. You saw him out there! He stopped breaking his bones in the fight until the very end. He's earned the right to have time to rest before his fight. Can't we just have a small break or something to give him time? What if -"

"You've changed."

Momo stopped her speech at that. She looked to Eraserhead, who was just staring at her. "...W-...What?"

"You're one of the last people I would have expected to come running to a teacher to change the rules. You seemed to me like more of a policy follower. Not as hardcore as Iida, but still a rule-follower. I especially didn't expect you to come and do this for the "Problem Child". Last I checked you two weren't all that close."

Momo raised a brow at that, "You pay attention to our relationships?"

Aizawa turned around and started walking down the stairs. "I'm your homeroom teacher. It's my job to watch over how close you are to your classmates and how you cooperate and interact with them. One day you will all be joining agencies and hero teams, and being close to people will factor into that heavily. Come on, let's walk and talk. You can tell me about this sudden change."

Yaoyorozu jogged down the stairs to him, matching his pace. "Well, you see Mr. Aizawa... Midoriya helped me today. After my fight with Tokoyami, I hit a bit of a low point. Whatever confidence I had in myself started to crumble at my feet. I completely botched my fight. My snap decision making and strategic skills failed me. I almost shut down...but then Midoriya found me. He shared about himself, and made me feel better. He single-handedly repaired my confidence. At least as best as he could." Yaoyorozu looked down at her walking feet, not wanting to know what Aizawa thought about her breaking down after one loss. "But Midoriya really helped me. He inspired me to better myself, and he promised to better himself as well and that we would do it together. He already bettered himself in that fight. Not just for himself, but for me as well. So I'm going to better myself for him too. My decision making. It doesn't matter if it is the rules, or a decision made by someone with authority. It's the right thing to do, as his friend and a future hero. I need to have confidence in my actions, my strategies, and my viewpoints. I can't cloud my brain with second guessing anymore. I believe Midoriya should be allowed to continue on."

Momo looked to Aizawa. She hadn't even realized they had stopped walking and were next to the door for her classes seats. Eraserhead stared blankly at her, a few seconds went by before he responded. "That kid, it's always something with him isn't it? Well then you'll be glad to know I never had any intention of Midoriya being left out."

"Wait, you didn't!?" Momo exclaimed with a dropped jaw.

"No. I don't care what Recovery Girl or anyone else says. As his homeroom teacher, I have the final word as to what happens to him." Aizawa leaned into the class stands, "Kaminari! Come over here!"

Mina looked over to Kaminari, "Oooooooooh, you're in trouuuble."

"Oh crap" Kaminari said nervously and walked over to Mr. Aizawa. He saw Momo and immediately thought the worst. "I SWEAR THE CHEERLEADER OUTFITS WERE MINETA'S IDEA! NOT ME! HONEST!"

Mr. Aizawa glared down at Kaminari. "That's not what this is about, but remind me to speak to you and Mineta privately after school once classes resume, Accomplice. Just follow me and keep quiet."

At that point, Momo was completely lost.

They headed down to Recovery Girl's office. Jirou and Uraraka tried to ask what was going on, but Aizawa just shushed them and started to watch cat videos on his phone. 45 minutes passed after that. Shiozaki and Iida's battle concluded with Iida sealing the victory. Tokoyami defeated Mina in battle. And Bakugou vs Kirishima seemed to be coming to an end. Recovery Girl came out of her office, and everyone waited impatiently for an update.

"The surgery is complete. His hand should be fine with the exception of some scarring on his fingers and being a bit rough in spots". She looked and saw Eraserhead stand up and walk toward her. "Oh, hello there Aizawa. Checking up on your student? He's out cold. With the surgery and the fight he's completely worn out. It could take a while before he comes to."

"That's fixable. Kaminari, follow me." They all walked into the office and saw Izuku on the bed. The top of his head wrapped up, covering his cut from the ice. His ankle had a splint on it and his right arm was fully cast up. His left hand had a small splint for his finger. Everyone, especially Yaoyorozu and Uraraka, hated seeing him like that. But they could only imagine how much worse he would have turned out if he didn't manage to stop breaking his bones all the time. Aizawa gave him a once over and looked back at everyone. "All right, everyone stand back a bit. Kaminari put your hand on Midoriya."

Recovery Girl tried to speak out, "Hold on Aizawa! What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting him ready for his fight. Now Kaminari, give him about 10 volts".

"What!? I thought I made it clear that he shouldn't fight. He won't have enough time to recover."

Kaminari, still confused, decided to follow along with what his teacher said. He jolted Midoriya with two fingers, and the One For All inheritor shot awake. "AAAAAH! WHAT'S HAPPENING?! WHERE AM I! DID I WIN!? I WON RIGHT!? CAUSE IF I DIDN'T I- mmph!"

His shocked rambling was ceased by Aizawa smacking a casted hand over his mouth. "Midoriya, are you fully awake and energized right now? Nod yes or no."Midoriya nodded up and down. "Good. Recovery Girl, use your quirk on him."

She looked at him baffled, "Aizawa this is madness. You can't just do-"

"Shuzenji, just do it. Please. You know you can't make me leave." She huffed and puffed, but relented. She kissed Midoriya on the head and watched him looked once again to Midoriya, "Alright, how are you feeling?"

Midoriya check himself over. Patting down the casted areas and wrappings. "Actually, I feel fine. A b-bit sore and tired, but nothing i-is broken."

"Good. Now what day is it? Don't ask, just answer."

"Um, Tuesday sir."

"Good, now your full name and parents names?"

"Izuku Midoriya. My parents are Inko Midoriya and Hisashi Midoriya."

"And nausea, or queasiness of any kind."

"No, Mr. Aizawa."

"You don't have a concussion anymore and aren't showing any side effects. Still tired?"

Midoriya felt his eyelids droop, "Yes."

"Kaminari, 5 volts"

Izuku's eyes shot open, "No wait-OW! That stings!"

"Sorry, but you're on a time limit. There's a break in between for the next round. And I managed to move Tokoyami's fight up before yours. So I'd say you have about fifteen minutes before you face Iida. Now get those casts off and get something in your stomach. Make sure that tiredness doesn't come back. Move around a bit. Get your brain flowing by talking with your friends. You won't be getting another out. If you lose this match, you lose. But you and Iida are both my students, so it doesn't really matter either way to me".

And with that he took his leave, dragging Kaminari with him. Before Midoriya could even begin to process anything that was going on, he felt two things. The first was arms wrapping around his shoulders and a large black ponytail covering the right side of his face.

...The other was a cane repeatedly hitting him in the head.

"What have I told you! Your recklessness is going to be the death of both of us!" Midoriya tried blocking his head with his arms but one was pinned down by a wild Yaoyorozu using hug.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! At least I learned how to stop breaking my arms!"

"And yet you still broke one!" Recovery Girl stopped her assault and sighed, "While I disagree with Aizawa's barbaric terms of a speedy recovery, now that you're awake I know there's no stopping you. You've fully healed, but your hand needed surgery."

Midoriya lightly moved Yaoyorozu, doing his best to once again ignore the fact that he was being hugged by an extremely beautiful girl. Doing poorly too, as his face was completely red. But he looked at his right hand, eyes widening in shock. His pointer, middle, and ring finger all had new bumps and were a bit crooked. His pointer finger has a scar that looked almost like a ring but only going around three-fourths of the digit. He had another scar running from directly under his middle finger on the front of his hand, to the back of his hand under his ring finger, running over his knuckles.

He looked at them and thought of them as... bittersweet in a way. They definitely weren't the most appealing thing to look at, and he got them for not being able to control his power...but he got them from helping a friend. So he didn't regret them.

Recovery Girl realized he was muttering to himself and spoke, "You shouldn't regret them. Use them as a reminder for how far you go ahead of today. Besides, they should work just fine, but a few shards couldn't be realigned. So I removed them. Hopefully your days of breaking your arms are over with those new moves of yours. There's a cup and a pitcher of water on the bedside table. I have a call to make. I'll leave you and your girlfriend to it," Recovery Girl finished teasingly, headed for the door.

Yaoyorozu immediately shot off of Midoriya blushing, and Midoriya passed out again.

"I'm not his girlfriend. We're simply good friends."

Recovery Girl looked back and chuckled, "Whatever you say dear."

She then left to contact Toshinori to update him on Midoriya. Momo shook the blush off of her face and grabbed the water pitcher off of the table. She lightly dropped some onto Midoriya's face. He fluttered is eyelids open and sat back up.

"S-Sorry about that. I think s-she does that stuff as payback for visiting her too much."

Yaoyorozu sat down on the side of the bed and gave a small smile. She poured and handed Midoriya a glass of water. Setting the pitcher back down as she responded, "It's okay, I really don't mind. But how are you feeling? Are you fully awake?"

Midoriya laughed, "After all of that I'm definitely wide awake." He looked up to her and gave a nervous smile, "S-So, uh...How did I do?"

Yaoyorozu broke out into a big smile, "You were incredible! You actually did it! Uh, not that I had any doubt you would keep your promises or anything, but you kept them both."

Midoriya looked down at his lap, looking dejected. "No uh, it's okay. I thought they were impossible too, even when I made them. But I haven't won yet, I-I still have two fights. And that's if I win the next one. Iida w-will be tough, and he's a better fighter than me. Besides I still hurt myself. I've already failed my first promise. I'm sorry but I-"

"Stop that." Midoriya looked back up as Yaoyorozu placed a hand on his shoulder. "First of all, you just fought against arguably the most powerful student in our class, and won. So don't you dare think you can't fight. You did hurt yourself, but nowhere near the amount you would have if you didn't find a way to stop breaking your bones. Which I should remind you that you did! You didn't fail. Not in the slightest. And while I may disagree with your decision to make Todoroki use his flames," she said pinching down hard on his arm.

"Ow! Can't everyone just be happy i'm okay for once and not hurt me!?"

"No. But anyway, by the end of the day you're going to be standing on the first place pedestal. You're amazing. Now stop using your energy to unnecessarily sulk and use it to think of how to beat Iida".

Midoriya was really starting to hate his inherited tear ducts, because he really didn't want to cry in front of her. But a few tears fell from his eyes. "Yaoyorozu?"

"Yes?"

"... We're really bad at this whole self-esteem thing, aren't we?"

"Most definitely."

The two just smiled at each other, not even realizing they had forgotten about two other people in the room. Uraraka and Jirou realized that they had been forgotten and were intruding on a moment between their individual best friends. With that, they decided to leave.

Yaoyorozu and Midoriya both missed the look of confused agitation and annoyance Uraraka was sending Yaoyorozu's way.

...and they also missed that same look Jirou was giving Midoriya.

…

Midoriya got his casts taken off, but just in case Momo gave him a tight wrap around of medical tape for his right arm. He drank some water and splashed some on his face. He was wide awake now and ready to fight Iida.

He had about 5 minutes until he had to head out. He learned that Tokoyami lost his fight, which meant if he beat Iida he would have to fight Kacchan.

_'Oh boy.' _He had fought Kacchan before. And more times if one could count getting your ass kicked because you had no quirk and couldn't fight back as "fighting". _'I just hope I can get a spur of the moment attack like in the Battle Training. But I can't focus on him now, Iida is the priority.'_

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned too see Yaoyorozu. "We should head to the waiting area. It's almost time." He nodded his head and they left Recovery Girl's office. As they headed to the waiting room, Yaoyorozu checked up on Midoriya one last time. "Are you sure you're okay? Nothing out of place?"

"I'm fine, I'm sure. Thank you though. I'm still not used to having people fret over me so much. Besides my mom that is."

Yaoyorozu raised a brow at that. _'Has no one ever been worried for him? With a quirk like that, someone had to have been constantly keeping an eye on him? Then again, Uraraka has told stories from her past and stories that Iida had told her. But she's never mentioned anything about Midoriya's past. In fact the only thing anyone knows about Midoriya's past is that he went to the same school as-'_

"Deku!"

_'Speak of the Devil.'_ Yaoyorozu and Midoriya looked to their right to see Bakugou on the stairs, heading to the class seats, fresh from his fight with Tokoyami. Momo would question why Midoriya flinched at Bakugou at a later date.

"The hell are you and this extra doing here?"

Momo decided to ignore that. Midoriya started to lock up and sweat unwillingly.

"Oh! Uh...I-I-I'm up next. I-I'm j-just heading to m-my waiting area. Yaoyorozu was just escorting me."

"Of course you can't even walk from place to place by yourself, Nerd. Tch, whatever. Don't think that just because you beat IcyHot you can beat me. Your stupid plans won't work like during battle training. Your plan you gave Round Face didn't work so don't expect any others to either."

Midoriya actually got a serious look from that, "I didn't make that plan."

Bakugou looked over his shoulder, "What?"

"That was all her Kacchan. She managed it all on her own."

Momo also perked up at that, "He's right. Just because you pay us no mind doesn't mean we're not capable of anything."

"...Tch." Bakugou walked away after that, leaving the Quirk Inheritor and the Creation Quirk user alone.

Yaoyorozu looked to Izuku, "Come on, we should hurry. Do you remember your plan?" Yaoyorozu wanted to ask why Midoriya took all that from Bakugou, but chalked it up to his self esteem issues coming into play. She would have to save it for later. They entered the waiting room and Midoriya answered.

"I've got it. I think it should work."

"AND NOW FOR THE LAST MATCH OF THE SEMI-FINALS! WE HAVE THE QUICKSILVER OF STUDIOUSNESS AND RESPECT TENYA IIDA, UP AGAINST THE MEAN GREEN BEAN WHO'S BEEN MAKING US CLENCH OUR BUTTS IN ANTICIPATION WITH EVERY MATCH, IZUKU MIDORIYA! WOULD THOSE FIGHTERS COME TO THE RING?!"

Midoriya breathed in deeply and exhaled. _'Just two more fights. Two more and I've done it. I can do this. I can do this. I can't do this. I CAN'T DO THIS!'_

Yaoyorozu grabbed his arm and gave a gentle squeeze. "Good luck", she said with a warm smile.

_'...Maybe I can.' _He walked out to the ring and bowed to Iida. Both giving each other a look, signifying that they might be friends, but both would not hold back in their efforts to win.

Lady Midnight picked up her megaphone and struck a pose,

"Combatants are ready! Begin!"


	7. Against the Quicksilver

**(2 minutes ago)**

When Iida heard Midoriya's name come out of the intercom system, he was surprised by it to say the least. Not only did he think that Midoriya was not supposed to fight, but even if by some miracle he made it out of surgery in time, Uraraka never told him. He had asked her to inform him of Midoriya's status if anything happened.

_'Why didn't she call? Did she not even know? Well, it doesn't matter. I'm glad he's okay, but...is he really any shape to fight?' _As Iida walked out onto the ring, he saw Midoriya across the platform with medical tape covering his right arm. _'If Uraraka hasn't had the chance to inform me, and he is still covering his arm, he must have just gotten out of surgery. He must be dead tired! He can't fight like this! But...I swore to myself I would win for my brother. Besides, Midoriya wouldn't want me to hold back or forfeit for his sake. I'm sorry Midoriya, but I want to win too. I know you will understand... I'll finish this quickly so you can go get proper rest.'_

"Combatants are ready! BEGIN!"

"RECIPRO BURST!" In the blink of an eye, Iida was across the ring directly in front of Midoriya, his right leg swung back. _'I'm sorry Midoriya but I have to win!' _What Iida never noticed was that before the match started, Midoriya had put his hands in finger flicking position aimed directly at the ground. Iida swung down, ready to knock Midoriya out quickly and claim his victory.

...But all he hit was air.

"What!?"

"Sorry Iida!"

Iida looked up and behind him to see Midoriya up in the air. Midoriya had once again used his flicks to his advantage. His plan was already a success.

**(15 Minutes ago)**

Back in Recovery girls office, Midoriya had just gotten his casts off and Momo was applying medical tape to his arm.

_'Must... think of ways...to distract...from closeness to girl!'_

Momo spoke up for him, "So do you have any ideas for your fight against Iida?"

"Um, i-i've only seen one of Iida's fights, but from what I have seen and due to his quirk I can only assume he always tries to end his fights fast. He will most likely launch at me from the start. He's seen me flick my fingers before, so he will feel like his mobility won't help him very much. His Recipro Burst is too fast even for my new abilities. My reaction time won't be fast enough especially if I can't decide on which part of my body to send my power too and muttermuttermuttermuttermuttermuttermuttermuttermuttermutter…"

Momo sweatdropped as she watched him piece together everything like a computer. His hand was rubbing his chin, his brow furrowing and unfurrowing as he found problems and solutions. She had to admit, it was impressive how fast he could think and speak like that. And a little cute.

"Midoriya?" She said snapping her fingers in front of his face. He became startled, and looked back to her. A blush crept onto his face.

"Uh, s-sorry. I-I can't help it s-sometimes."

"It's okay, but I think caught most of that. So Iida seems like an opponent that is one chance either way. Either he hits you out at the start and he wins, or he misses or you manage to stay in the ring and you win" Yaoyorozu said, also trying to put something together.

"Y-Yeah. At least, those a-are the most likely outcomes. I think my best chance would be to catch him off guard. Let him get close, and then dodge. Even if I manage that, his Recipro Burst lasts ten seconds. He could easily recover."

Momo looked back to Midoriya, "Then you'll have to ground him, or knock him off balance. He can't recover if he can't stay on his feet. Or if you can stay out of his reach."

"Iida's quirk isn't suitable against flying opponents. Are you sure that super strength of yours doesn't come with flying like Pre-Quirk Era superheroes from comics?" Momo asked jokingly.

Midoriya laughed too, "I wish, but as far as I know I-...Wait, that's it! Air!" He saw Yaoyorozu look at him confused and decided to elaborate. "In my fight with Kacchan during battle training, he used his explosions to maneuver and launch himself into the air. I did the same with my fingers in my fight with Todoroki. If I put 5% into my fingers and launch myself up just as Iida closes in on me, he'll be caught completely off guard. Flicking my fingers takes almost no major movement anyway, so it can be done quick and under the radar!"

Yaoyorozu's eyes lit up in understanding. "That's perfect! And I think I with that, I now have an idea on how we can get him off balance. You know, we seem to make a good team Midoriya. We should partner up more in class," Momo said, a friendly smile on her face.

Midoriya blushed for the millionth time today and nodded. "Oh! Uh, yeah of course! I actually have some ideas our quirks to work together. We can-"

He was halted by a finger on his lips. He looked at Yaoyorozu who had a nervous smile. "Let's just focus on your battle for now. We'll talk about that later" she said, stopping him before he went on for an hour about their quirks.

"R-Right, sorry. By the way, y-you read old comics too?"

Yaoyorozu had a light blush from that, "Oh well, I love to read, and in this world of heroes I was bound to come across them at some point. I haven't read many, but they're interesting."

Midoriya just looked at her in awe, _'Why has the universe only just now introduced me to her!?'_

Momo smiled, "Anyway, here's what you should do."

…

**(Back to the Fight)**

As Midoriya looked down to the ground at Iida, he noticed his surprised expression was starting to fade and his engines still revving. He could hear Yaoyorozu's plan in his head.

_'As soon as you're in the air, you won't have much time to act before Iida recovers and acts again…' _Midoriya raised his hands to the sky,_ 'So you need to make sure he can't recover, and knock him off balance…'_

"DELAWARE SMASH!"

'_This is where your strength comes in. Immediately shoot yourself back to the ground, right next to Iida…' _As Midoriya rocketed to the ground, he raised both hands together, clasping them tightly. He began shooting 5% through both arms. _'...and slam.'_

"FLORIDA SMASH!" Both of Midoriya's hands smashed into the pavement, cracking the surrounding area and sending off a radius of force. Iida stumbled backwards, only a yard or two away from the edge.

_'That's when you go for the finishing blow.'_

Midoriya leaped to Iida, pulling back his arm and shooting forward. "SMASH!"

Iida blocked the blow with his arms, but the force still knocked him off his feet, making his engines useless. He felt himself go backwards. Iida felt his feet hit the ground again. He had about 5 seconds of his burst left, so he put his foot forward, ready to launch again. He-

"Iida is out of bounds! Midoriya is the winner!"

The class president looked down in shock, his feet were out of bounds. _'I...I lost.' _Iida saw another set of feet in front of his own. He looked up too see Midoriya standing in front of him, hand outstretched.

"Good match, Iida."

Tenya couldn't help but feel disappointed. _'I'm sorry brother...I failed. But I cannot be a sore loser. Midoriya won fair and square, and as his friend and his Class President, I should be happy for him. I shouldn't ignore such good sportsmanship.' _He took Midoriya's hand and shook, "You too. Well done my friend."

"WELL LOOK AT THAT! TALK ABOUT SPORTSMANSHIP! LET'S GIVE THESE TWO A ROUND OF APPLAUSE!"

Midoriya and Iida walked back inside to the cheers of the audience. As they made it inside, Iida turned to Midoriya. "I must admit Midoriya, that was quite an ingenious plan. The medical tape to make me think you were still recovering was a perfect rouse. I fell right for it and tried to attack instantly," the Class 1-A President said while chopping his hands.

"Oh, that wasn't a part of the pl-"

He was stopped by a nudge to his back. He turned to see Yaoyorozu. She smiled and whispered to him, "Just take the compliment."

"Um...yeah, thanks Iida."

"Ah! Greetings Yaoyorozu! I take it you saw the fight."

"Yes I did. You were both incredible."

Iida gave an almost somber smile, "No, I'd say I failed this fight. I didn't even last one minute. Midoriya was the truly incredible one. I-"

_*Bzzzt*_

Iida felt around in his pocket and brought out his phone. "Forgive me, butI really must take this. It's... very important. I'll see you both later. Midoriya, good luck against Bakugou." With that, he walked off to receive a phone call that would cause them to not see or hear from Iida for the next few days.

Yaoyorozu looked to Midoriya about to say something until she saw his expression. His eyes were wide and he was sweating terribly. "Midoriya? What's wrong?"

He looked down and spoke, "Kacchan...I have to fight Kacchan next."

"ALRIGHT FOLKS, IT'S ALL COME DOWN TO THIS! THE FINAL ROUND OF THE TOURNAMENT! THE EXPLOSIVE BOMB BLONDE KATSUKI BAKUGOU VS THE ENTERTAINING M.V.P OF THE TOURNAMENT, IZUKU MIDORIYA. WE'LL START IN 5 MINUTES!"

Yaoyorozu realized the problem. She had no idea what their personal issues were with each other, but a Bakugou fighting Midoriya is a VERY DANGEROUS AND ANGRY Bakugou. They didn't even have enough time to form a real plan against such a skilled oponent. She could also tell that Midoriya's timid nature and lack of confidence made him extra...jumpy. He tended to flinch whenever Bakugou made some kind of movement or gesture towards him. She wanted to know more, but Yaoyorozu felt she wasn't close enough to Midoriya just yet. Besides, he clearly was not in the mindset to bring up bad memories.

"You're going to be just fine." Midoriya turned and looked to Yaoyorozu. Realizing he was about to get another pick me up speech from her today. Apparently she was really good at those. "If Bakugou wants to be rash and angry, let him. He's probably already eager to beat you. Not just for first place, but for reasons only known to you, he seems to hate you. He probably hates the fact that you even made it this far. He will become rash, and predictable. She put a finger on his chest, "Show him that you are just as good if not better than he is. Maybe he'll even start to treat you and everyone else nicer when you win and teach him some humility." It wasn't much, but it was the best she could do on their limited time.

Midoriya looked at her somewhat surprised, "I didn't expect you to have such a dislike for Kacchan."

She smiled and said, "He doesn't like you, so that's good enough reason for me."

Midoriya blushed at that and said, "Also, you're really good at inspirational speeches."

She laughed, "Well someone gave me a really good example to learn from today."

They both smiled at each other. Neither saying anything more, but just relishing in their newfound friendship that was growing fast. They both simultaneously thought about how much different that day or even the future could have turned out to be if they didn't talk to one another. Both were happy with that outcome instead of the alternative.

"ALL RIGHT! WOULD THE FINAL FIGHTERS COME TO THE ARENA!"

Yaoyorozu placed her hands on Midoriya's shoulders, wishing him all her luck. _'I could really get used to this,"_ each simultaneously thought.

Midoriya then left and walked out to the ring. He could see Kacchan giving him the death glare. Clearly furious that Deku made it to the finals. Both bowed to one another from across the ring.

"Kacchan?" Bakugou lifted his head and looked at Deku. Both staring at each other. "Do you remember the day when I said I wasn't trying to compete against you?"

Bakugou's glare intensified. Lady Midnight spoke out into her megaphone, "Combatants are ready!"

Midoriya furrowed his brow, giving a look right back to Kacchan.

"I take it back."

"BEGIN!"

**DarkShadowNin: Thank you for being my first review on this site! Sorry, I've been slowly transferring my already posted chapters from AO3 to here. If you want to read ahead just look me up over there, there's 14 chapters up on that site.**


	8. Explosive Emotions

***BOOOOM***

**"DEEEKUUUUUUUUU!"**

_'Why do I do things_?'

Well, he wanted to make Bakugou so mad he would start to fight irrationally. It definitely worked.

The ATTOSECOND Midnight started the match, Bakugou was shooting forward like the world's largest, angriest, and explosive bullet.

Any other fight, Bakugou would have avoided starting the fight with a right hook. He had learned back at battle training that the damned nerd had been examining his moves for years. He should be fighting less predictably.

'..._but he just had to randomly grow the FUCKING balls to say that to ME!'_

Bakugou swung his right hook without even thinking, just as Midoriya was hoping. He saw the hook projected from a mile away. He moved forward and ducked under it. He charged 5% through his arm and fired it directly into Bakugou's diaphragm.

Due to the momentum of his charge forward, the punch he took to his diaphragm completely knocked the wind out of Bakugou.

He flew back to the center of the ring, choking for air to return to its home. He looked up to see Deku running to him. The red power disappearing in his arms, slowly forming on his legs. Katsuki regained his breath and and brought his hands together, facing outward.

"TOO SLOW YA FUCKING NERD!"

Another explosion rang out through the stadium. Izuku brought up his arms to protect his face and body from the attack.

_'Switching from arm to leg is too slow! I have to get away from the edge. The force from his explosions will-'_

"STOP JUST STANDING THERE IDIOT! FIGHT!"

Midoriya saw a bright light spark to life in front of him. He was barely able to dive roll forward and to the left. Bakugou might be less rational in his thinking, but that just means he is attacking faster.

Not as much thought is going into his attacks, so they come out faster, never letting up. Midoriya had no time to think!

He whipped back around to see Bakugou aiming another blast at him. Veins bulging out of his face, his eyes looking furious and large. It would be funny if Midoriya didn't find it terrifying.

Izuku raised his hand and fired off a 5% flick at the same time Bakugou's explosion erupted from his hand.

The air pressure collided with the blast pressure. Midoriya's attack entered the center of the explosion, discharging the blast, stopping it from traveling any further.

The smoke and light from the explosion was covering Midoriya. This was his chance to gain some ground.

...but Bakugou came through the explosion, only a few feet away from Midoriya.

He could see the sparks coming off of Kacchan's hands, ready to fire off again.

_'I'm still too close to the edge! If he hits me with that, I'll go out of the ring for sure!"_

Midoriya did the first thing he could think of to try and stop the blast. He jumped forward to Bakugou and put their hands together, clasping them and intertwining their fingers. Both began to push against one another. Midoriya was about to activate One for All and easily overpower Bakugou, but then Blondie McSplody began to speak.

"Where's that 'borrowed power' now Deku?"

As soon as he heard that, Midoriya felt an all too familiar burning sensation on both of his hands. Bakugou was singeing his him and Midoriya was doing nothing about it. He felt his feet slide back a foot or two.

"So you're trying to compete against me eh Deku? Think you can beat **me**? It doesn't matter if you got some shitty quirk now. You're still nothing. Just some pebble on the side of the road! A bug I could crush whenever I want!"

The burning just intensified. Midoriya knew he should be getting out of this no problem. He should just send One for All into his arms and push Bakugou out no problem.

...but he just... couldn't.

The feeling of being burned. Kacchan, up close and personal spitting insults into his face. It was all just too familiar. Moments like these were engraved permanently into his mind. He was freezing up.

All of the confidence (albeit not very much), he had slowly built up from finally having friends, a quirk, the support from All Might, his Mom FINALLY supporting him…

...just vanished.

In the blink of an eye, just...gone.

He was shot back through time, right back into middle school.

Back alleys, under bridges, closed and abandoned buildings, alone, or with his lackeys, using his quirk, or just punches and kicks. All off of school grounds to make sure Kacchan didn't harm his _perfect record. _

The only times it ever happened on school grounds and he was caught, Midoriya was always blamed for aggravating a student. After awhile they stopped listening to Midoriya's side of the story. They just wrote him up and sent him home.

It's not like he didn't understand. Why ruin the future of someone with so much potential? Just let the quirkless kid take the fall and move on with life. Kacchan was amazing, so it just all added up.

The teachers cared so little they didn't even call his mother about the write ups. They figured it didn't matter. And just like back then, fighting back just felt... _pointless. _Midoriya felt like he should just go through what used to be the regular routine.

Let Kacchan vent his anger, don't fight back as to not make him even angrier, don't question why he hates you because you will never get an answer, go home, hide injuries, cry yourself to sleep.

_**Repeat**_

Midoriya felt his heel hang off the edge of the ring.

It was over.

"God I fucking _hate _you! What exactly made you think you could be here? Huh!? Even after all that time in middle school, you STILL haven't fucking learned. Are you trying to humiliate me? What kind of victory would it be for me to win against a worthless piece of shit like you?"

'_He was right…'_

When it came to Midoriya, Bakugou's actions with him were always worse than how he treated anyone else. And there was something about Bakugou that even the extras agreed upon. Sometimes…

...he took things too far.

"I actually always felt bad for Auntie Inko. She had to raise the likes of _you_ all alone. She didn't deserve to have her husband leave her for having a quirkless kid."

For the first time since their grappling struggling, Midoriya looked up. His eyes widening in shock.

"Or even how she stress-ate herself to how she is now because of you. She was too nice to deserve that either."

Izuku's nose scrunched up, and his brows furrowed together.

"All I've ever tried to do was do my job as a future hero and win. But you... I've never been able to beat you and your **stupid** ideas about being a quirkless hero! Driving your family into the ground! Trying to stand up to me! Look down on me! I'm trying to be a hero. I'm always going to win against the villains who ruined lives! So congratulations Deku...

Izuku felt power shoot to his arms. Strength boiling at the surface, begging to be released.

"... you were my first villain."

He gave one last push to shove Deku out of bounds,

...and didn't move an inch.

"What the hell?"

Bakugou shoved again, and received the same result. Deku didn't move.

He looked into Deku's eyes and flinched. His irises and pupils were almost non-existent. His brows were in a "v", and a vein was actually pulsing on his forehead. Red Lightning was bolting throughout his arms. He was dead quiet. This was the first time he had ever seen Deku actually...pissed.

_Really. Fucking. Pissed._

Katsuki had a feeling he should back up. Be let go of Deku's hands and backed away.

Or, at least he tried. Until he realized his hands were locked into place, intertwined with Midoriya's.

Midoriya wasn't someone who had ever processed anger very well. He had always had anger in small spurts, but he usually extinguished it or never had a way to vent it before. But this…

Kacchan has said a lot of terrible things to him over the years. From small insults to his "advice" from the day of the slime monster incident.

But he had NEVER spoken up about his mother before. She was someone he assumed Kacchan either legitimately liked or didn't care about. But...

_'I'm to blame for what happened to my life? I ruin lives! I'M THE VILLAIN!'_

Midoriya woke up today expecting to break his fingers, hands, arms, legs, all of the above.

What he did NOT expect was that he would break both of Bakugou's.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Bakugou's screams of agony are what broke Midoriya out of his trance. He felt something hot and sticky flow down his hands. He looked down to see his own hands crushing Kacchan's.

'WHAT AM I DOING!?"

He shoved Bakugou off of him and ran to the center of the ring away from him. He turned back around and looked at Kacchan, surveying the damage.

Kacchan's hands looked like what his own usually look like when he breaks them, but darker. Instead of an odd purplish color, they were more black than anything else. Blood was dripping from Bakugou's hands into the ring floor.

'What have I done?'

Midoriya looked at Bakugou and could only feel guilt. He had experienced that pain more times than he could count. He never wished that upon even his worst enemy.

... except he just DID inflict that pain on his worst enemy.

The entire audience had been quiet almost the entire time. They weren't able to hear what the two were talking about, but from what they had just witnessed...it must have been pretty bad.

Bakugou tried to form an explosion from his hands, he got a few small sparks before he was hit with immense pain.

"Y-You're... **YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!**"

He charged at Midoriya and launched a knee upwards toward Deku's stomach. Midoriya managed to block it, but was elbowed in the cheek. This caused an opening for Bakugou to try to knee him again. This time, he succeeded.

Pain shot through Midoriya's abdomen. In a panic to get away from Kacchan, he raised up a hand and flicked. Sending Bakugou back tumbling. The situation was now reversed from the start of the match. Bakugou was now the one too close to the edge for comfort.

Bakugou realized his situation, and he couldn't fathom it.

_'No...nononononononononononononononono! NO! WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING! HOW DARE HE! That fucking Deku probably thinks he's won now! If he is really underestimating me like that, then he has another thing coming. Who gives a damn about broken hands!'_

"Hehehehehe! Hahahahaha!"

Midoriya was still processing all of this. He had just broken both of Katsuki's hands! And now he was laughing!?

"Hey Deku! You've spent all this time studying my quirk, thinking of different moves and how it works. I'm assuming you've gone over what I could do in crisis situations such as this! So tell me nerd, what happens when the human body is heavily injured!?"

'_What? What's he talking about? Uh, let's see...stiffness in joints, muscle spasms, excessive sw-...oh.'_

_'Oh…'_

_'Excessive Sweating'_

Bakugou shot into the air, pain be damned. He was winning this God-damn fight. He began to shoot small explosions to propel himself in a spiral motion towards Deku. Blood spouting from his hands with every blast.

Midoriya saw this and realized this was going to be Bakugou's final move whether he liked it or not. He wouldn't be able to fight after it with those injuries. But with a furious Katsuki, injured or not, this could very well be Midoriya's last attack as well.

He had to put maximum power into this if he wanted to pull this off. His right arm had taken far more beatings than his left had. So using that arm would probably come with a little bit less anger from Recovery Girl.

'_One for All! 100%!_'

"DETROIT!"

Bakugou shot forward in a spiral of smoke and light,

**"HOWITZER IMPACT!"**

**"SMAAAASH!"**

Both rocketed their hands forward towards one another. For the second time that day, the audience had to take cover from a massive explosion ripping across the stadium. A large tornado of smoke and light consuming the ground area of the arena.

Eventually the light died. Everyone slowly looked back down onto the field. The arena was nothing but rubble at this point. They saw where Bakugou had landed. Then they saw where Midoriya landed.

Both were against the opposite walls of the arena facing each other. Both unconscious, and both out of bounds.

Midnight spoke out from her megaphone.

"BOTH COMBATANTS ARE OUT OF BOUNDS AND ARE UNABLE TO CONTINUE! NEITHER ARE IN ANY STATE FOR A TIE BREAKER!..."

Midnight conversed with Cementoss, deciding on an outcome.

"IT'S A DRAW!"

**A/N: **  
I feel like I should say this here because someone brought it up on A03, but yeah. The Midoriya/Bakugou relationship here is exaggerated extremely from Canon. Bakugou is much more a deluded bastard than a superiority complex baby. I have my reasonings but if you really want to know id check out AO3. I put a long explanation in the comments.

Yeah remember when Midoriya said he "sort of" won. Welp! Here ya go! Having a tie is also going to have a major effect on Bakugou. And Midoriya's guilt over his hands will come back. There was no cutbacks to the audience or other characters because I didn't want to take away from the fight. Their reactions will come next time. Also the fight might seem a little short, but really, how long did fights in the show REALLY take here. This is anime time we're talking about here. Also, next chapter will be the last of the sports Festival. It's time to move on people :) 


	9. End of the Festival

Midoriya expected two things to happen when he woke up.

First, he would get the crap kicked out of him by Kacchan for breaking his hands. Then he expected Recovery Girl to heal him, and then proceed to repeatedly smack him in the head with her cane. The first luckily didn't happen.

...the second however.

*_SMACK* *SMACK* *SMACK*_

_"_Ow! Ow! I get it okay! I'm sorry!"

Recovery Girl kept up her assault as she began to berate him.

"Three times! Three times you've come in here today with broken bones! That's a new record! Even after you figure out how to stop it you still manage to break yourself!"

Her assault ended and she sighed, "Besides, you should really be apologizing to that poor boy for his hands" the healer said gesturing to the right of Midoriya.

He turned his head to see the second bed in the room filled by Kacchan. Midoriya didn't even realize he was there this whole time. Probably due to Kacchan being unnaturally…

Quiet.

"You did quite the number on his hands. His right hand became worse than his left after that last attack of his, but they should heal just okay. Due to both of your interwoven fingers, you managed to mostly avoid his fingers. Now I don't know what caused you to do this to him, but I hope you can sort it out. I'll be right back. I'm going to Eraser of both of your conditions. They wanted both of you out there for the awards ceremony as soon as possible."

With that she walked out of the room, leaving the former friends alone.

Midoriya looked over to Bakugou again, he was staring at the wall in front of his bed. Not even glaring, just staring at it. Midoriya looked at his hands and noticed his casts were off. Torn and ripped pieces of them on the side of the bed and the floor.

Kacchan most likely immediately tore them off when he was healed to survey the damage.

Speaking of which, Midoriya looked to his hands. They looked mostly okay except...his right hand. He had a scar exactly like Midoriya's, running across the back of his hand.

Midoriya couldn't help but feel guilty for what he did. Yes, what Kacchan said was awful and over the line but... it's Kacchan. He's always had plenty of bark to back up his bite, but ever since they got into U.A, all of his threats became empty.

Just non-filtered threats and cheap provocations. He never actually meant anything. At least...not anymore. Ever since Battle Training he hasn't acted out to anyone. Apparently Mr. Aizawa chewed him out for excessive violence. All Might said it wasn't enough of a punishment, but Aizawa chalked it up to his apparent favoritism towards Midoriya.

It did make everyone else, excluding Midoriya, less intimidated by Bakugou. The rest of the class would just take the empty threats and brush them off because they knew nothing he said would actually come to fruition. They knew that when it came to his anger towards them, Bakugou was never true to his word.

Midoriya knew that too. Bakugou had barely even spoken to him since U.A started, and with how much Bakugou wanted to be here he wouldn't actually harm him without proper reasoning.

...but he still hurt Bakugou badly.

Midoriya knew that everything Kacchan said in the ring was purely just to provoke him and make him feel bad. In Midoriya's eyes, that didn't justify breaking said person's bands.

He turned to Kacchan and tried to speak, "I'm sorry about your hands. I didn't-"

"Fuck off."

Midoriya halted his apology, not totally surprised Kacchan's actions. He however was surprised by how quiet it was. It wasn't a yell, but just slightly below his normal speaking volume and kind of monotone.

Bakugou turned his head and stared at Midoriya's scars. They disgusted him. He hated how similar their scars were. It felt... unnatural to share something with Deku.

_'If Deku even thinks of trying to empathize and connect with me because of our similar injuries, I'm going to blast my own head off._'

He was even more disgusted at the outcome of the fight. Deku, _fucking Deku, _had managed to not only make it too the finals, but fight Bakugou to a draw. It wasn't just his pride that had been hurt, but his own self image.

Both of their thoughts were interrupted by the door bursting open.

"**I AM HERE, OPENING THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON! UH... AGAIN I GUESS!"**

All Might walked into the room, hands on his hips. His everlasting smile plastered onto his face.

"**Good Afternoon Young Midoriya, Young Bakugou! I would like to congratulate you both for your victory, and to give praise for your outstanding performances throughout the festival!" **All Might said giving a thumbs up.

"Oh! Uh, t-thank you so much All Might!"

Bakugou continued to look at his wall.

"**Now, I have come for a second reason! The award ceremony! We actually do not have two gold medals at the moment! BUT FEAR NOT! We have decided to-**"

"Give it to Deku."

"**Eh?"**

Both All Might and his successor turned to Bakugou. He side eyed All Might and continued.

"Give that meaningless fucking medal to Deku. A draw means nothing. It's worth nothing. That's not a victory, and I refuse to go along with any sort of bullshit ideas you guys have to get both of us one. I didn't win shit. Give first place to fucking Deku, I don't care. I'll just win for real next time."

With that, Bakugou turned back to his wall. Silence washing over the room.

***Ahem*** "**Well, I can't say I agree with that statement, or your choice of language, but it is your decision nonetheless. You did very well today Young Bakugou. I look forward to our next class. Now Young Midoriya, it I your lucky day! Thanks to Young Bakugou, you will get a full medal instead of half of one!"**

Midoriya raised an eyebrow at this, "Wait, that was your plan!? Breaking it in half?

"**NOT IMPORTANT! NOW WE MUST BE OFF! Head down to the ring immediately! I leave like a hero would! Fast and with a purpose! Like I need to go to the bathroom after a very long movie!"**

Midoriya then realized that All Might was probably running out of ideas for phrases. He stood out of bed, carefully mindful of the splint still on his left arm. Recovery Girl hasn't fully healed him yet. He took hold of the door handle and looked back at Kacchan, who was still staring at nothing.

_'Why do I get the feeling that things are going to get even more complicated?'_

…

_"_AND NOW, TO END OFF THE SPORTS FESTIVAL...THE AWARDS CEREMONY!"

The crowd cheered at Midnight's announcement. Midoriya stood on top of the first place pedestal. While he still had a small pit in his stomach from his last fight, he couldn't help but feel ecstatic that he was actually here.

He really did it. For All Might, his Mom, for Yaoyorozu...he did it. Izuku really did his best to not cry but a few tears slipped.

'_I haven't even gotten my medal yet and I'm crying! If All Might tells me he's proud of me I might flood the stadium.'_

Midnight waited for the crowd to calm down and continued, "AND IT ONLY SEEMS FITTING TO HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST HAND OUT MEDALS! THE SYMBOL OF PEACE HIMSE-"

"**I AM HERE WITH MEDALS!"**

"-LF ALL MIGHT!"

They both sweatdropped at one another. Midnight put her hands together apologetically.

"So sorry! I cut you off."

As the crowd started to murmur to themselves about All Might's arrival, said hero walked up to the second place podium. Midnight made another announcement to the audience.

"Since first place was a draw this year, there is no third place. Second was supposed to go to both Tokoyami and Iida, but unfortunately Iida had a family emergency. He had to cut out early, we hope you can all understand. All Might, please present the medals!"

Midoriya's eyes widened, _'Family emergency!? What happened!? I guess I'll have to ask Uraraka about it...I hope he's okay.'_

All Might cleared his throat and walked over to Tokoyami. He placed the second place medal around his neck.

"**Young Tokoyami, you sure are a strong one**!"

Tokoyami bowed his head, "Thank you. You honor me t-"

He was suddenly pulled into a semi-awkward hug by All Might. His beak shoved right into the Number One Hero's arm pit.

"**You can't rely solely on your quirk in a fight. Especially in a bad match-up. But once you hone your other skills, you will be a nearly impenetrable force!"**

"Uh, yes. Yes sir! Thank you. You honor me too highly"

'_...he smelled like justice.'_

All Might stepped up to the 1st place platform in front of Midoriya. He turned to the audience, "**Young Bakugou has graciously stepped down from his first place position due to, uh... personal and moral issues. He also didn't want to come out here so...I GUESS THAT MAKES YOUNG MIDORIYA THIS YEARS CHAMPION!"**

The majority of the audience gave a cheer, while others were still questioning it, but decided to roll with it.

All Might stepped up to Izuku, "**Young Midoriya…"**

That was it. That was all it took for Midoriya's tears to start flowing again. All Might figured this would happen, so he wasn't fazed by it. He placed the medal around Izuku's neck.

"**You may have caused damage today, not just to yourself. But even so, you pushed through that pain and claimed victory. You even evolved yourself to stop those injuries...for the most part. Young Midoriya, you truly have a bright future as a hero. This victory is only one of many to come."**

All Might brought Izuku into a hug, patting his back. He whispered so no one could possibly hear him, "Meet me in the teacher's lounge after this. I'm very proud of you young man."

All Might stood back up and ruffled Midoriya's hair.

Up in the stands, Todoroki looked at such a fatherly type action between the two.

'_I knew it!'_

All Might turned back to the crowd.

"**Every student here today has the potential to not only win, but be amazing heroes! They are mere sparks that will turn into the mighty flames of tomorrow. Ready to burn bright and light our way forward! With that in mind, let's all give one last cheer! ALL TOGETHER NOW!"**

"PLUS U-"

"**THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!"**

"-LTRA! Wait what!?"

"**Well, I just... thought everyone worked very hard."**

…

Midoriya and Tokoyami were walking to the main entrance of the stadium to meet up with their class. Once they were in sight, the two didn't even get the chance to speak before being swallowed up by the group all congratulating them.

Midoriya saw Yaoyorozu in the back of the crowd, she smiled and gave him a thumbs up. She mouthed to him, "_Later"._

Izuku nodded and continued with his class back to school.

"Deku congratulations! You were amazing! You too Tokoyami!" Uraraka exclaimed to the two.

"Thanks Uraraka but, what happened to Iida? What was the family emergency?"

Uraraka suddenly looked downcast, "Oh. Well, apparently his parents called...his brother was attacked by a villain. He's in the hospital."

"What!? Do you know if his brother is going to make it?"

"I don't know. I tried contactin' him to make sure he was okay but, understandably he's gone quiet."

Midoriya looked back down in thought.

'_Iida...your brother was to you how All Might is to me. I really hope you're both okay.'_

Kirishima tapped Midoriya on the shoulder, "Hey man! First of all I gotta say, you were super manly today. Even though breaking Bakugou's hands is pretty extreme. Don't worry though, I'll keep Baku-Bro calm so he won't yell at you today."

Midoriya looked over to see Bakugou straying from the group. His hands in his pockets, eyeing his feet as he walked.

"_Yep," _Midoriya thought, "_definitely going to get more complicated."_

"T-thanks Kirishima. That means a-a lot."

As they all made it back to school, they headed to the locker rooms to change back into their regular uniforms.

As Momo was buttoning up her blazer, Ashido started to speak to her.

"So Momo, I and plenty of others have noticed you were basically attached to Midori's hip today. Any chance this could be our class's first romance?"

Momo sighed and shut her locker, "No Mina, not at all. It's not like that. He just helped me today with something important. We don't know each other very well, but I am glad that can now call him my friend."

Mina crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow. Her dark eyes squinting at Momo in disbelief.

"Sooo what your saying is...it's possible."

"I'll see you in class Mina."

With that Momo left the locker room.

"Oh come on! I can't be the only one who thinks they would be adorable right?"

As Mina began discussing it with Tooru and Tsu, Uraraka and Jirou both did their best to ignore the conversation and get out of the locker room as soon as possible.

Both were thinking the same thing, '_Why am I feeling like this? Why do I hate the thought of those two together?"_

…

Everyone had re-entered the classroom the classroom, waiting for Mr. Aizawa. Midoriya looked back to Iida's empty seat, once again having concern fill his stomach. He couldn't think too much on it for Aizawa entered the room.

Muffled by the bandages, Mr. Aizawa spoke.

"So you can all rest up, you have tomorrow and the day after off. The scouting reports will be here when you get back. Now go enjoy your break. Starting now. Get out."

He then proceeded to awkwardly try and climb into his sleeping bag using his casts.

Kaminari spoke up, "Wait! Why did you have us even come back here if you were going to just tell us to leave? Couldn't you have said that at the entrance?"

Aizawa looked over his shoulder at the class, "I'd be happy to give out some of my unused lessons if you want to stay so badly."

Everyone was out of the classroom in a millisecond. Except for two.

Midoriya wasn't in any hurry because he still had to go see All Might.

Momo was still there because more lessons actually didn't sound too bad to her.

They both stood up and left the class together.

Yaoyorozu immediately turned and bowed to him. Midoriya panicked in confusion.

"W-w-what are you doing Yaoyorozu?"

"I'm thanking you for everything you've done today. I still have a long way to go, and my self image is still damaged, but you have saved me from falling deeper into despair than I am too scared to even imagine. You even carried out promises that even I thought impossible. Thank you Midoriya."

Midoriya looked on in shock but responded.

"I-It's really no problem Yaoyorozu. I was j-just trying to help."

She stood up straight again and laughed, "Always selfless Midoriya. I'll find a way to repay you someday."

"T-that's not necessary!"

"To me it is. Now come on, I can start repaying you by letting my chauffeur give you a ride home."

She started to walk away but Midoriya stopped her.

"Uh, a-actually I have something else to do. Thank you for the offer though."

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you after the break Midoriya." With that she started to walk away again.

As they walked down the hall together, Midoriya had a bit of uneasiness about this whole situation.

In Izuku's life, friends...were hard to come by. It took him 15 years just to find his first _real _friends. Not friends who decided he was worthless or some bother that followed them around, but people who genuinely like him.

He already felt like Uraraka and Iida were a miracle, and the rest of his class treating him so nicely was nothing to scoff at. Although, someone of Yaoyorozu's caliber...he just needed to be sure.

"Um, Y-Yaoyorozu?"

She stopped and turned to him, "Yes?"

I...I-I was wondering...um...when we go back to school,...a-are we still going to be friends? Or will things go back to the way things were?" Midoriya asked rubbing his arm nervously.

"What!? Of course we'll still be friends. Why wouldn't we be?"

"I...I don't know. I-I guess a lot of today, I was afraid i-it was all just... adrenaline. Like, a-after what I said to you, w-we were just in the heat of the moment. Not friends, just... something else."

Momo walked back to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I can assure you Midoriya, you and I are permanent friends. That is _my _promise to _you._"

Midoriya looked back up at her, forgetting he was nearly half a head shorter than she was.

'_I should ask All Might how he got so tall. Maybe he has tips.'_

Yaoyorozu still felt that Midoriya was unsure of this, but an idea sparked in her head.

"If you want proof, here."

She created a pen and a small piece of paper using her quirk, and began to write. She handed it to Midoriya, revealing it to be her phone number.

"Friends stay in contact. Text me later so I can have your number. Feel free to text or call anytime. My house can feel big and empty, making it a bit lonely at home sometimes. So I'll always be able to talk, about anything really. I really do have to go now though. I'll see you later Midoriya."

This time she actually made it out the door, fully taking her leave. Midoriya was stunned at what just happened.

_'I...I have two girls phone numbers! Three if you count my mom! Wait, wait no that's lame. I should tell All Might! Wait! Oh crap he's still waiting for me!'_

Midoriya headed off to the teachers lounge to meet All Might.

…

Izuku opened the door to All Might on the couch in his normal form. The Number One Hero looked up at the sound of the door opening and smiled once he saw who it was.

"Young Midoriya! Come on over here."

Midoriya walked over to the couch opposite of All Might and sat down. All Might reached across the table and ruffled Izuku's hair.

"Kid, I can't tell if you're trying to make me proud or give me a heart attack. Either way you were outstanding! I'm sorry I didn't check in on you when you had your injuries, but Recovery Girl said your friends were around, and I get enough flak for favoritism as it is. So showing up to check on only you specifically wouldn't have looked very good."

Midoriya nervously chuckled, "Don't worry I understand. Yeah that wouldn't have looked good at all, especially with what Todoroki thinks about us."

"Hm? What does Young Todoroki think of us?" All Might asked.

"Oh! Uh n-nothing! Yep, uh n-nothing at all! Speaking of Todoroki...do you think I did the right thing by making him use his fire?"

All Might placed a hand on his chin, "I figured that's what you were doing. No one could really hear what was going on down there unless you were yelling, but from some of what I could make out I assumed as much."

"Yeah, I-I just...wanted to help. He was living trapped by his past. I felt that if he wants to really be a hero, then he should be himself entirely. But...I put my win on the line. I could have easily lost because I butt myself into someone else's business. So did I do the right thing?"

All Might sat up straight and smiled.

"Young Midoriya... absolutely. First of all, that win wasn't luck. You controlled One For All amazingly, and you learned new ways to fight like your air launch, all in one battle. But, more importantly you did exactly what a hero should do. Giving help to others, even when they don't ask for it, is the true essence of being a hero."

Midoriya thought back to Yaoyorozu. He had helped her when she didn't ask, and now they were friends. The smiles on both Yaoyorozu and Todoroki's faces after he helped them...is exactly why he wanted to be a hero. Not just to use his own smile to protect and help people, but also to make them smile too.

'_Maybe All Might's right, I shouldn't just sit back and not help just because they didn't ask for it. Some people need help but just can't ask for it.'_

"Young Midoriya, would you like to speak about your fight with Bakugou? For once, Young Bakugou wasn't yelling at you in your struggle at the edge of the ring. But from what happened to his hands, I can assume it definitely wasn't good."

Izuku looked to All Might with uncertainty, but decided to get it over with.

"I'm sorry about what I did. I j-just...he said some things to me that infuriated me. I know that Kacchan says a lot of things he doesn't actually mean. When he's angry he says a lot of things in the heat of the moment. This time though, his normal dislike for me and his anger at the fight pushed him to say some...bad things."

All Might sighed, got up, and sat on the coffee table in front of Midoriya. He placed a hand on his successors head.

"I know I don't know everything about you two. I know you aren't ready to speak about your history, but you two will one day be heroes. It's inevitable that you will have to work together at some point and at the state your relationship is at now, that seems impossible. Maybe your past is something that really can't be worked through, and if so I understand but...it would be for the best if you both at least tolerated one another. Uh, scratch that. If _he _would just tolerate _you_."

Midoriya scrunched up his face in frustration, "He hates me and he wants nothing to do with me. I hate him, but I want to forget about the past. It would be better that way."

"The past isn't something that should be forgotten. It is something you need to acknowledge and face down. Trying to forget your history will just blind you of where you come from and how it shaped you. Your past is one of the reasons you became you, which in turn lead me to see you as a perfect successor. We all have our past issues. I too was quirkless, but I don't want to forget that. It shaped me into wanting nothing more than to become a symbol for everyone. To-"

"Hold on! Back up! What!?"

All Might stopped his speech due to Midoriya's outburst.

"You were quirkless!?"

All Might realized he had actually never told him that before, "Well yes. It was one of the many reasons I chose you. I could relate and saw a piece of me inside you. I guess I didn't say anything because you didn't ask. It didn't seem im-"

"That's hypocritical as hell!"

Toshinori shrunk back in embarrassment, rubbing his neck, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. But hey, were here now right, and I couldn't have chosen any better."

He buffed up into his muscle form.

"**YOU GO BEYOND PLUS ULTRA AT BEING A PERFECT SUCCESSOR TO ME! YOU'RE AMAZING!**" he said giving a thumbs up.

Midoriya gave him an unamused look, "... You're lucky you're so endearing."

"**HA HA! YES I AM! NOW GO HOME AND REST UP MY BOY! YOU'VE EARNED IT! I'LL SEE YOU IN CLASS IN TWO DAYS!"**

…

Midoriya made it home with a lot on his mind. With everything that happened today, from Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, to actually winning the Sports Festival. He couldn't deny, today was a good day.

He got to his front door and looked down. There was water leaking out from under the door.

'_Oh boy.'_

He turned the knob and a wall of water rushed out of the apartment, knocking him down to the ground.

...only to be immediately picked right back up into a bear hug that could crush All Might in his buff form.

"IZUKU MY BABY!"

He might be soaking wet, suffocating from a hug, and the essentially waterboarding he was receiving from the tears his mom was shedding right now. He couldn't help but smile.

'_Yeah, it's a good day.'_


	10. A Good Place to Start

"13 times! Can you believe it!? I passed out 13 times since the start of the cavalry battle. The last 6 were dehydration. I needed the neighbors to watch over me and give me water when you got frozen in that glacier!" Inko exclaimed, sharing her story.

The two Midoriya's sat at the dinner table the night of the Sports Festival. They were eating their dinner and chatting about the excitement of the day. After they mopped up the tears flooding the apartment of course.

"Hahaha! You've got me beat in that category Mom. I might be a crier too, but that takes the cake."

"I was so scared yet so proud at the same time. I couldn't help it. When that quirk of yours showed up I was so happy, yet terrified of the toll it took on your body. But, for the most part you finally reigned it in. The moment you started to use it and not break anything was the 8th time I passed out. Oh honey you were amazing!"

Midoriya looked down at his food in embarrassment from all the praise. Something he definitely wasn't use to getting in his life. He looked back up when he felt his mom take his hand from across the table, a more sad expression on her face.

"Izuku…I know I already said this, but I fully support you. I already knew you had the heart of a hero, but that new quirk of yours scared me."

She rubbed her thumb across his new scars

"It still does, but after today...when I saw you up on screen, I didn't just see my son Izuku. I saw My Son Izuku: The Future Pro Hero!"

Inko's lip started to quiver, tears brimming in her eyes. Her voice becoming shaky. Izuku leaned forward in concern, about to ask her what was wrong, but she continued before he could.

"And again, I know I've said this before but I can't help but feel guilty for what I said to you all that time ago. I know you might not want to speak about it but, please just know now that I fully support you and will help you in any way I can to make sure your dream is reality."

Izuku thought back to what All Might said about the past. He can't just... forget it. It needs to be acknowledged so it can continue to help form who they are.

' _This is a good beginning for that. If anyone deserves to have their past settled, it's Mom. I can't have her living with this guilt, and I can't live with sadness around that memory. Besides...this has been a long time coming.'_

Midoriya put his free hand on top of hers.

"M-Mom...I won't lie to you and say that i-it didn't hurt back then, b-but you were doing the best you could. Any mother who found out their child was quirkless in this world would have it a million times tougher than others, a-and, in a way, I-I should actually thank you for what you said."

Inko put on a confused look, Midoriya took this as a sign to continue and explain.

"What y-you said to me...it made me want to prove it to you that I could be a hero. I wanted to make you proud of me, make you think that I could do it. You always were a reminder of my dream and pushed me forward, even if you didn't support me and no matter how bad the days got. S-some days you were the only thing that put a smile on my face," he said thinking of some particularly _very _bad days from Aldera.

"You've saved me more times than I can count. So please, _never _feel guilty for what you said again, because it's one of the main reasons I'm here, being able to follow that dream. All Might might be my favorite Pro Hero...but you're the true hero in my life."

The next thing Izuku knew, the dinner table and whatever was left of his dinner were slid directly into the wall so that his mother could probably hug/crush/drown her son.

"Thank you Izuku...oh my baby."

She wasn't heavily sobbing this like usual. Her tears were like a water hose yeah, but she was just quiet. Just softly repeating "thank you" into his shoulder.

He returned the hug with as much force as he could, ' _I really do have the best mom.'_

…

The Mother and Son had both cleaned up after dinner, and were both about to clock out for the night.

Inko was drinking a glass of water to keep herself hydrated after crying again.

"I'm too emotional. Somehow, I'm more exhausted than you are right now Izuku," She said with a laugh, wiping away at tear stains on her cheeks.

Midoriya laughed at that, but then looked at her hand wiping her face. He specifically focused in on her ring finger, which had been barren for about ten years now.

' _You know what, I should cover all bases here tonight. It's... it's time for her to be truly happy again!'_

"Mom, I think you should start dating again!"

She was taken aback by that, her eyes widening. This emotional day was unexpected, but that definitely was something that never crossed her mind.

"M-Mom, it's been ten years since D-...Hisashi, left. There are so many guys out there who would be lucky to spend just a second with you. Hisashi definitely took that for granted...so uh, y-yeah just uh... something to think about. G-Goodnight!"

He immediately booked it to his room

...

Izuku made it to his room and shut the door.

' _I don't think my heart and body can take much more of today. Time to finally relax. I should see if there was anything big in hero news today.'_

Plopped down onto his All Might branded sheets, and began searching for his phone. He patted both of his pockets and looked around his bed and bedside table, but it was nowhere to be seen.

_'Oh! I must have left it in my uniform pockets.'_

The Quirk Inheritor opened up his closet and rummaged through the pockets of his school uniform. He found his phone, but when he grabbed it to pull it out he felt something else.

He pulled out both items to see his phone and a small slip of paper. Izuku gasped to himself, "I can't believe I almost forgot! Yaoyorozu's phone number!"

Midoriya went back to his bed and typed the number into his contacts, saving it as "Yaoyorozu".

' _Should I text her? When she said "later" did she mean "later tonight" or "some other time later"? I...I-I should at least give her my number like she asked.'_

Midoriya began to compose a text message that could rival the poetry of Shakespeare himself.

Midoriya : Hey, it's Midoriya.

... perfection

Yaoyorozu : Oh hey Midoriya. It's funny, I was just beginning to wonder if you had forgotten about me.

Izuku felt it best to not mention that he actually did forget.

Yaoyorozu : Anyway, how are you? Are any of your injuries not fully healed or acting up?

Midoriya : O-Oh no, I'm fine. Recovery Girl might be becoming less tolerant of me, b-but she does her job well.

Yaoyorozu : That's good, but...you still stutter over text? Why do you do that?

Midoriya : S-sorry. It j-just kinda happens.

Yaoyorozu : No worries. Besides, it helps me imagine you actually saying these texts. It suits you.

Midoriya : T-thank you. By the way, with what happened to Iida, I-I was thinking about inviting him and Uraraka to hang out after school when we go back. I'm usually n-not the type to set up get togethers, b-but I think it will help him. I was w-wondering, since we're friends now...if you w-wanted to come with us. I-I mean you don't have to...no pressure.

Over on her end, Yaoyorozu giggled at her new friends awkward antics. They're not even talking face to face, yet she can perfectly picture him saying that. She sent back her reply.

Yaoyorozu : Of course, I would love to! Let's discuss the details at school. It's late, and you especially need rest.

Midoriya : Great! Yeah we'll talk then. Goodnight Yaoyorozu.

Yaoyorozu : Sleep well Midoriya.

Midoriya put down his phone, then laid back under the covers, staring at the ceiling.

' _I just texted with a girl over the phone! I mean I've texted Uraraka before, but those have been 2 to 3 messages at a time. Just questions and a response. That was a full blown conversation!'_

Midoriya looked over at one of his many All Might posters. He specifically focused on a limited edition poster with Silver Age All Might with the phrase, "You can do it!" plastered across the front.

He knew it was a pretty cheesy poster but…

' _I'm finally getting a hold on One for All, I made a new (hopefully two) friend(s?) today, I (kind of) won the Sports Festival, my relationship with Mom is getting even better, and I'm somewhat comfortable having a conversation with the prettiest girl in class. So...maybe I can do it. Eventually…"_

With that, Midoriya turned off his lamp, and did something that has been becoming more frequent in the past few months.

He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

…

Momo had sent her goodnight text to Midoriya and laid back in her massive bed. Today turned out much better than she expected. She still had a burning pit in her heart.

Her failure was something that still plagued her mind. She had utterly botched her fight. Momo now couldn't help but feel her success at the USJ attack was a whim.

' _How am I supposed to fight more villains if I can't even fight one of my classmates in training?'_

Her entire tower of confidence in herself had been torn down in seconds. She wasn't sure how she would have fared if a nervous wreck of a green haired boy hadn't shown up and rebuilt a good foundation of that tower.

Midoriya was the only thing plugging up that hole in her heart, keeping her spirit from spilling out. He was an oddity to her to say the least. Even with his shyness and lack of confidence, his attitude somehow just screamed "You can do it!" She had yet to learn Midoriya's full reasoning for wondering if they would still be friends after today, but all she knew was that she was definitely not going to give up someone like that. She had a long way to go from here, and a lot of rebuilding.

But, with Midoriya and her other friends to help her... maybe she could do it.

…

(The Next Day: U.A High School)

Toshinori walked the halls of U.A, headed to the Principal Nezu's office. Dressed in his oversized Yellow suit, he contemplated what this surprise meeting was about.

' _With the events of yesterday, this has to be about Young Midoriya. I hope it's a far more positive review of my teachings of him as my successor.'_

The Number One Hero knocked on the dog/mouse/bear principal's office door.

"Come in!"

Toshi opened up the door and saw the principal sitting at his desk looking at blueprints.

"Good Afternoon All Might, I hope this meeting hasn't inconvenienced you in any way."

"Oh no, it's always a pleasure to come and see you Nezu."

"Why thank you. Tea?"

All Might nodded and took the cup from the Animal Genius. All Might looked at the blueprints on Nezu's desk. They seemed to be building designs.

"What are these?"

Nezu looked down at the papers, "Oh nothing! Just designs for an idea I've been having. It's a dorm system, but I doubt they will be built anytime soon. Maybe give it a few years or so. Anyway, I'm sure you're wondering why you are here today, yes?"

"If you don't mind me asking."

"To start, I would like to commend you and Midoriya for his astounding performance yesterday. You seem to be teaching him to use his quirk quite well. I am right to assume you taught him how to control his power like he did yesterday, correct?"

"Oh I sure hope so."

Nezu paused his drink of tea, "What was that?"

Toshinori realized he said that out loud and tried to rectify it, "Uh, I mean yes. Yes I did. At least partially. Young Midoriya figures out a lot on his own. He's so smart I can hardly keep up." All Might chuckled nervously at that.

Nezu also laughed a bit, "Well, that just means you have chosen very wisely. I'm also sure his friends have helped him out quite a bit. Ms. Yaoyorozu has surely helped him with a mind like hers."

All Might did a double take at that, "Wait, Young Yaoyorozu? I didn't realize those two were close."

"Well apparently they must be. I called Recovery Girl about his injuries yesterday to see it they were becoming more worrisome. She said he was fine, and joked about how he would heal perfectly if he kept receiving hugs from such a pretty girl. I then put two and two together when I got a call from Endeavor yesterday complaining about a green mop-head and a rich girl."

All Might couldn't believe what he was hearing, and then proceeded to bust out laughing.

"Hahahahaha *cough* *cough* ack! Hahaha!" All Might wiped his mouth of blood, still giggling to himself.

"I'm sorry Nezu, it's just that- haha... if I know _anything_about Young Midoriya, it's that he is NOT smooth with the ladies! Not that I don't think he isn't capable of a relationship. He's an amazing young man, anyone would be lucky to have him, but uh…"

All Might flashbacked to a day during Izuku's training. A pretty girl about Midoriya's age was on her morning jog as they were cleaning the beach. She complimented Midoriya's new masculine body and he promptly blushed up a storm and passed out.

"...it's just not his specialty."

Nezu raised his eyebrows up, "Last I checked, it wasn't yours either. Should I bring up 'The New Year's Incident'?"

"...no thank you." Toshinori said, remembering that entire _week _of embarrassment.

Nezu out down his cup of tea, "It is still something you should speak with him about. Romance can definitely complicate things. Not only as a hero in training, but it definitely complicates One For All and the possible... people, that will come along with it. Have you told him about _You Know Who?" _

All Might gained a more serious expression, "No, not yet. How do you tell a kid you care for that he might one day have to face the greatest evil this world has ever known?"

"It's your decision on when to tell him, but he will have to know eventually. I think that's all, except for one thing. While he wasn't as popular as Todoroki or Bakugou, Midoriya definitely was a favorite of the scouters. It's only been 24 hours and he's pulled in over 2,000 requests. Although, I pulled one out that I thought you might want to look at." Nezu opened his desk drawer, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it over to All Might.

Toshinori read the paper and hacked up blood all over it in shock.

"That's...but he-...!"

He couldn't take his eyes off of the name half covered in blood.

_Pro Hero: Gran Torino_


	11. A Surprise Offer!

(2 Days After The Sports Festival)

Midoriya was on his regular morning train, headed to U.A, fully rested and ready to head back to school. Well, he _would _be, if he hadn't spent the hours of 9 a.m yesterday to 1 a.m today talking with Yaoyorozu on the phone.

Izuku has never been a so called, "tech addict". He really only used his phone for hero news, music and videos, and the occasional call to his mom or All Might. Before U.A, he had never really had any friends to text.

He can, and has spent plenty of time without it before. But, now that he had gotten a taste of what it was like to speak with a friend all day, his phone was essentially glued to his hand.

Talking with Yaoyorozu was actually really nice. Being socially inept wasn't really even a problem. He didn't have to think of a response or right way to say something at any time. She was full of topics, so the burden of trying to find a way to continue the conversation was lifted off his shoulders.

He had learned a decent chunk about her. He had learned about her first time using her quirk and how she practiced by making Russian nesting dolls, her love for illustrated encyclopedias, her birthday, her piano and other musical skills and more.

Apparently after hanging around Jirou she actually picked up an affinity for Rock, and she found a new favorite band that was centuries old. She said that the band "perfectly fuses great piano work, operatics, and rock".

She seemed pretty enthusiastic about it. They were called '_ Queen' or something like that. _He'd have to look into it later.

Midoriya kept his own personal information at surface level. His love for heroes, his birthday, and so on. He might've had that talk with his mom, but he definitely wasn't ready to dig deep into his past with anyone just yet.

He had only really known her for a few days. Uraraka and Iida didn't even known anything. Speaking of whom…

"_ Pro Hero: Ingenium still hospitalized after being assaulted by the Hero Killer known as Stain. Stain's whereabouts are still unknown, and heroes have been dispatched to his last known location of Hosu City. Which is the site of the attack. Soon, we will…"_

Midoriya stopped reading his phone after that. He still hadn't heard back from Iida since the Sports Festival. Hopefully his little get together plan would work out. Iida needs friends by his side right now.

"Psssst, hey kid."

Midoriya looked up from his phone to see a businessman trying to get his attention.

"I knew it! You're Midoriya, one of the kids who won the Sports Festival. You were awesome!"

Midoriya blushed, "Oh! Uh, thank y-"

"Wait, Midoriya?"

"Oh yeah it is him!"

"So cool! Can I get a picture!?"

"My daughter loved you!"

"He's shorter than I thought."

"Your arms okay?"

"That's one powerful quirk you got!"

"You broke that loud kid's hands! Epic!"

Ignoring that questionable comment from that last guy, Midoriya was in shock at how many people recognized him. People thought he was...cool. He would be ecstatic right now if it wasn't for his lack of social skills making him essentially shut down from all this attention.

The crowd suddenly all gave a thumbs up and said, "Keep up the great work hero!"

"U-uh, t-thank you."

Hopefully, not all of his train rides would be like this.

…

(15 Minutes Later)

Rain was pouring down, so Izuku walked to the entrance of U.A with an umbrella. Just as was about to enter, he heard fast and loud steps behind him. He turned to see Iida, running through the rain wearing…

...a poncho?

"Good Morning Midoriya! We must hurry! We have five minutes until the first bell. Enough Dilly dallying!"

"Uh, yeah! Okay!"

They both entered the building and began putting their individual rain gear into their lockers. Izuku knew this was going to be one of his only times alone with Iida today, so now felt like a better time than any to ask Iida about his brother.

"Um...Iida, I was wonderi-"

"I'm okay Midoriya. My brother is alive, and he will be heal." He turned to look at Midoriya with a smile, "I'm sorry if I worried you. Thank you for caring, really." They both began to walk to class.

To Izuku, that answer felt... unsatisfying. He understood more than anyone what it was like to hide your pain and sadness. Izuku was trained in the art of the fake smile, so he could see right through Iida's.

But, he shouldn't push it for now. It was still a very fresh wound. Trying to make him open up now would just irritate him. What he needed right now was some kind of distraction. So Midoriya put his plan into action.

"Hey Iida, I was thinking about hanging out with you and our friends after school. D-Do you want to come?"

Iida turned his head to Midoriya, "I'm sorry, but I can't. I really would like to spend more time with my brother. I hope you understand."

"Of course! O-of course I understand but,...just remember we're here for you Iida. Me, Uraraka, Asui...all of us."

Iida grabbed the door handle to their classroom and looked to Midoriya, giving a weak looking smile, "Yes. Thank you."

With that he walked through the door, and went to his desk.

Now Izuku was _really _unsatisfied with that. The was the most fake smile Iida could have put on. This didn't mean anything good.

Izuku walked through the door, and went to sit down. Kacchan didn't even look up at him as he walked by.

'_ I'll take ignoring me over screaming at me anyday.'_

Midoriya looked last Mineta's desk to see Yaoyorozu looking at him.

"Good Morning Midoriya, sorry for keeping you up so late."

"O-Oh no it's okay, I l-lost track of time too."

Momo smiled, but then looked over to Iida's desk. She nodded towards Iida with a brow raised. Silently asking, '_ So...?'_

Midoriya sighed and shook his head.

"It's okay Midoriya, we can still go with the others. Perhaps being alone with his thoughts is what he needs right now."

"Hm... maybe. I'll ask the others at lunch. Ma-"

He stopped when he heard the door open and the famous grumbling from Mr. Aizawa. Izuku shot back to his seat, throwing an apologetic smile at Yaoyorozu while she giggled at his antics.

An interaction that wasn't missed by gravity defying girl, and a rocker girl.

...and a jealous grape-headed boy.

"Morning" the monotone voice of their teacher said.

He walked into the classroom slouching and free of bandages. Tsuyu was the first to speak up about it.

"It's good to see you out of your bandages Mr. Aizawa. Ribbit."

He sighed, "That old coot was far too excessive in her healing process, but anyway I digress. Today we're doing a very special Hero Informatics class."

Most of the class began to imagine what that could mean.

'_ Ah man, hero law and junk? I'm terrible at that' _Kirishima thought _._

Kaminari was clenched in his seat, fingers crossed, '_ Not a pop quiz, not a pop quiz, PLEASE NOT A POP QUIZ!'_

"Today, you'll be choosing your hero aliases."

"**ALL RIGHT!"**

The entire class erupted in glee, excited to be able to pick out their hero names. Aizawa's hair shot up, his eyes glowing red and his voice stern.

"Settle down. Before we get to that, we have to go over the scouting reports from the festival. These determine which pros believe you are capable of going out into the field. They see potential in you, and want to help you grow. But, I should remind you this interest they have in you can easily slip away. So…"

He slowly turned to Mineta.

"... Absolutely. No. Funny. Business."

Mineta slammed his hand onto his desk, "Stupid adults."

"Here are the results of the reports. As you can see, a specific few captured the attention of most."

1-A looked up to the screen.

**Todoroki:** **4,123**

**Bakugou:** **3,456**

**Midoriya:** **3,245**

**Tokoyami:** **360**

**Iida:** **301**

**Kaminari:** **272**

**Yaoyorozu: 108**

**Kirishima: 68**

**Uraraka: 20**

**Sero:** **14**

As a few began to complain that it wasn't fair that the top 3 were so powerful, Izuku's eyes were bulging out of his head. 3,245…3,245 heroes were interested in him. They thought he had great potential, just like All Might did. He would've cried on the spot if he didn't notice something else.

By default, he had won the tournament. Yet Todoroki and Bakugou were ahead of him in requests.

'_ My bones. They must have been scared off by my casual breaking of my limbs. Damn...I need to get One for All under control. Even with my five percent, it's way too slow to switch from arms to legs. Of course I'm not the top pick.'_

Midoriya felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to see Mineta point his thumb behind him. The Quirk Inheritor looked behind Mineta at Yaoyorozu.

She was smiling at him, giving him a thumbs up.

'..._ You know what, 3,245 is really good. I...did a good job.'_

He smiled back, and pointed to her name on the screen. He then gave her a thumbs up as well.

She blushed a little and gave a weak half-smile. She simply shrugged at it.

'..._ I'm going to have to fix that.' _Midoriya stated to himself.

As he was about to turn back around, Mineta entered his entire field of view. His eyes wide and intense.

"How?"

"W-w-what are you talki-"

"How did you land Yaoyorozu? I heard you two earlier, how she apologized for 'keeping you up so late'. She's the hottest girl out of all the first years. How. Did. You. Do It. Midoriya?"

"What!? I didn't- I-I mean we- U-uh, I-I...uh"

*_ Ahem*_

They both turned to see Aizawa glaring right at them. "If you two are done, I can move on to your hero names."

Both sat ramrod in their seats, facing the front.

"Better."

Aizawa turned back to the class, "Now, about your aliases. They are more important than you probably think. While they can change before you graduate, if you don't choose something appropriate-"

"Then you'll be out through hell!"

Everyone turned to see the XXX Heroine Midnight strut through the door.

"The names that you pick today are what the entire world could call you for the rest of your life. It'd be best if it was something that suits you."

Aizawa shuffled to his corner, already halfway into his sleeping bag.

"Midnight is going to handle this part of the class. Creativity isn't exactly my strong suit."

He zipped himself up and plopped down into the corner. Midnight officially took over.

"Alright, everyone take a whiteboard and marker. You have 15 minutes."

At first, the names made everyone uneasy. The names seemed to be funny or just plain out there. It wasn't until Tsuyu stood at the front of the class and gave her name.

"The Rainy Season Hero: Froppy!"

"So adorable and fun!"

As Midnight gushed over Asui's name, everyone else was sighing in relief, thankful that the mood of this event was back to normal.

Afterwards, more and more people began to go up and give their names. From Jirou's "Earphone Jack" to Bakugou's scary yet fitting "King Explosion Murder". Then came Momo's turn.

"The Creation Hero: Creati! I hope I can do this name justice."

"How creative! Wonderful name!"

Momo thanked Midnight and walked back to her desk. As she walked back to her desk Midoriya spoke to her.

"T-That's a really cool name Yaoyorozu."

"Thank you Midoriya. Have you come up with anything?"

Midoriya pursed his lips, "Well...I-I have something in mind."

"You should go up there. I'm sure it's great."

"Um...yeah. You know what, yes. Excuse me."

He wrote something down quickly onto his board. Midoriya stood up and walked to the front of the class and placed down his whiteboard.

Yaoyorozu looked at it, eyes widening in surprise, as did everyone else. Kaminari spoke up first.

"Uh, are you sure about that Midoriya?"

"Yeah, these names are what we could be called our entire lives."

Midoriya steeled himself and explained his decision.

"It's true, I-I used to hate this name. But, recently...someone showed me t-that it could mean so much more. They helped me give it a whole new meaning to me. Instead, I-I can use it as a reminder for how far I've come, and how far I'll go…"

Izuku stood up straight, facing the class with a confident look.

"...Pro Hero: Deku."

In his seat Bakugou gave an awestruck, yet angry look at first, but then turned away acting as if he didn't care.

Uraraka was absolutely beaming at Midoriya and he smiled back. Both were satisfied with the name and its newfound meaning.

Yaoyorozu was happy for Midoriya. But, oddly enough she felt a weird twinge in her chest at Midoriya and Uraraka's looks toward one another.

Midnight smirked at the name, "Clearly a name of personal value to you. Go for it!"

Midoriya bowed and sat back down. Bakugou shot back up to the front of the class, "LORD EXPLOSION MURDER!"

"Still no."

…

Well the entire hangout idea was a bust. He had asked Iida and that failed. He asked Uraraka,

"_ Sorry Deku, but this is my parents last day here before they go back home. I want to spend time with them"_

and Asui,

_"I have to watch over my siblings tonight. Ribbet."_

and Todoroki.

"_ I'm visiting my mother today. Sorry."_

He had even tried Kirishima, but he was busy too. Momo tried to asked Jirou, but it seemed absolutely everyone was busy with something.

Now he was sitting with Yaoyorozu in class, trying to sort through all of their offers from the festival.

"Sorry Yaoyorozu, I thought it would turn out better."

"It's quite alright Midoriya. Besides, we can just go by ourselves right?"

He shot his head up this, his mind running wild.

'_ B-By ourselves!? A-Alone!? L-Like a D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D *Warning, an error has occurred. has stopped responding. Would you like to send a report?'_

"Um, Midoriya?"

Midoriya punched himself in the side and went back to normal, "Y-Yeah. Uh, s-sure! Let's m-meet up by the school entrance."

"Perfect! I'll let my driver know not to wait up for me."

As Momo began to text her limo driver. Midoriya looked down to Momo's desk and saw she had an offer circled in red. He thought he would be happy to see she found an offer she liked, but this one however…

"Uwabami? Yaoyorozu, a-are you sure about this."

Momo looked up from her phone to see what he was talking about.

"Oh! Well, you see...it's just that I'm surprised that such a popular hero would take on an unworthy student such as myself. After my performance, I figured I wouldn't get any requests in general. So as soon as I saw hers, I just-"

"Stop that."

Momo stopped her self-tirade at Midoriya's words, "Stop talking like that. I-I said it before and I'll say it again. Y-You're amazing Yaoyorozu, and clearly others think so too. Did you even look at any other offers?"

Momo looked down, "...well, no."

"U-Uwabami is a very commercialized hero. She always has up and comers in commercials with her. In my love for heroes, their advertisements were something else I looked at. I-In all of her adds, someone who got pretty far in the festival of that year was always in them. Usually pretty girls, so I'm assuming that's her intention."

"Oh…"

"Yaoyorozu, I-I know that plenty of people and pros see what I see. So take another look at your offers. Please."

"O-...okay."

She began to shuffle through her sheets of paper, happy that Midoriya once again kept her afloat…

...and for inadvertently calling her pretty.

She read through plenty of names but none really catching her eye, until…

"What!? That can't be right! Why would he want me!?"

Midoriya shifted to Yaoyorozu's side and looked down at her list, finding where her eyes had landed. His eyes widened at the name.

_Pro Hero: Edgeshot_

**A/N: **Queen is the greatest band of all time. Fight me. And NO I'm not one of those people who saw the movie and are like 'Oh my god I'm the biggest Queen fan!' NO! NONE OF THAT!

Also yes. Edgeshot. All will be explained when Momo gets there. But for now, the (Date? Not really) is next.

Too anyone that's wondering if Izuku has a crush on Momo with all his unintentional flattery. He does, he just doesn't realize it yet. Neither of them do.

Laters. Comment and review :)


	12. The Past Comes Back Swinging

Momo simply couldn't believe it. The number 5 hero Edgeshot, actually wanted her to come and intern under him.

'_ Why? Why would such a renowned hero want me? Surely this must have gotten mixed in accidentally from Midoriya or Todoroki's requests! That has to be it. I should inform Mr. Aizawa.'_

"Mr. Aizawa! I believe there had been a mistake."

Yaoyorozu stood up and began walking towards Mr. Aizawa's desk. Before she got there, Midoriya got in front of her.

"Woah woah wait! What are you doing!?"

"There's no way that the number 5 hero would have requested me Midoriya. Not after my performance. I'm forever grateful for what you said to me a few minutes ago, but you have to agree that Pros of his caliber never take anyone unless they're very highly ranked. It's just how it goes."

Before Midoriya could respond, Eraserhead was already behind him.

"Ugh. What exactly did you two think was so important to wake me up for?"

Midoriya tried to interject but Yaoyorozu spoke up first, "Mr. Aizawa, the hero Edgeshot was in my list of requests. This must be a mistake. Wouldn't he want someone who performed better than I did?"

"Oh. No that's not a mistake."

"What!?"

Midoriya sighed in relief to the side.

"Yeah that's really him. I was there when that report came in. He even had his secretary call to make sure we got it. I take it you accept?"

Yaoyorozu was in utter shock. This couldn't be real, can it? She looked over to Izuku, who was nodding his head at her. Well...she shouldn't take this miracle for granted.

"Uh, yes. Yes sir. I'm honored to accept his request."

Aizawa took the paper from her hand, "Good. That's eight of you down. Problem Child, do you have your report?"

"Oh! Uh, n-no sir. I've got a lot t-to look through you see and well it's a bit overwhelming IjustneverexpectedsomanypeopletoactuallywanttotrainmebutIshouldn'ttakeitforgrantedeventhoughI_ muttermuttermuttermuttermuttermuttermuttermutter"_

_" _Okay! I get it. Just have it by the weekend."

Aizawa crawled back into his sleeping bag and slithered behind his desk. Yaoyorozu was ecstatic. In just a week, she would be heading to one of the top Pros in the country's agency.

To think she had almost missed this opportunity. She had almost gone with_Uwabami _of all people. Not that she didn't respect her as a hero, but she really didn't have anything to offer her. She was a search and rescue hero, emphasis on the search. That wasn't what Momo wanted to be.

Edgeshot could teach her so much, from combat to experience. She was so excited! She wouldn't even be going if it weren't for…

"Midoriya…"

He turned to her smiling, "Yaoyorozu this is great! Edgeshot is so cool! Speaking of which, when you go there... could you take my notebook and get me an autograph? I really-"

He was halted by a warm mass against his torso...and two longer objects wrapping around his upper back...oh no.

"Thank you."

She pulled away, "I wouldn't have ever seen that offer without you."

The final bell rang throughout the school. Momo's face lit up even more.

"Oh! This is perfect! Wherever we go today I'll pay for everything. It's the least I can do. I'll meet you out front." She happily went to her desk, gathered her things and left. Still on a high from her excitement for the coming week.

During that entire interaction, Midoriya was completely frozen. 80 percent of his bodily functions had shut down. He really needed to learn how to handle girls. Fangirls were going to be a given when he becomes a hero. Even if he didn't understand why anyone would ever be attracted to him.

Midoriya then realized that the entire class had probably seen that. And by probably, he meant they were all staring at him. Well, minus Bakugou, Todoroki, Shoji, and Tokoyami. As well as Uraraka and Jirou, who seemed to have already left.

The reactions ranged from Mina levels of excitement, to Mineta level of anger. Ashido had her hands together, in front of her face. Her eyes sparkling. Hagakure following her example. Well, if you could see her that is.

Kirishima was giving him an "ok" hand sign, "Nice."

The rest seemed somewhat close to those two reactions. Except for Mineta and Kaminari…

...who immediately charged him.

"MIDORIYA!"

"DUDE!"

Kaminari got him into a headlock and Mineta was shaking him back and forth. Mineta started shouting, "I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT! YOU BASTARD! HOW!? TELL ME YOUR WAYS!"

Both were immediately reeled off of Midoriya. The whole class looked to see both on the floor, wrapped up in Aizawa's capture scarf. Said teacher halfway out of his sleeping bag, his hair up, and eyes glowing red.

"Interrupting my sleep and manhandling a fellow classmate. Are you two trying to get detention with me? Actually, that reminds me."

He bent down to look them dead in the eye, "I never did give you two a punishment for the cheerleader fiasco, did I?"

Both began to sweat buckets. Izuku figured this was his chance to leave. He gathered his things and headed to the door, but just as he opened it, All Might shot in front of him.

**"I AM HERE! IN A MOST PECULIAR POSITION!"**

"All Might!? What's wrong!?"

"**NOTHING! NOTHING AT ALL! B-But, I do need to speak with you for a moment, p-please."**

"S-sure."

As Midoriya walked out with All Might, Todoroki squinted at the two, "_ You can't hide your secret forever Mightdoriya my friend. I will someday prove Dad Might is real... someday."_

**…**

Midoriya sent off a quick text to Yaoyorozu telling her he would be a few minutes late, and followed All Might, who was... trembling?

When they reached an empty hall, All Might finally spoke, "**Y-Young Midoriya, t-the reason I needed t-to speak to you is that, there was a certain request for you t-that you might want. His name is, G-Gran Torino. Damnit legs, stop shaking!"**

Midoriya was in dumbfounded by All Might's behavior.

'_ Gran Torino? Who is he? Whoever he is, he's got to be pretty intense if All Might is so scared of him.'_

All Might pulled out the request form from his pocket and handed it to Midoriya.

"**Y-You see Young Midoriya, Gran Torino once taught here at U.A for a year...and he was my teacher."**

"Really!?"

**"Yes. He was also f-friends with my predecessor. He knows about One for All so, I-I assuming he wants to measure you up as a successor for himself."**

Izuku looked down at the offer, '_ All Might's teacher? This guy knows about One For All, and he helped train All Might. He could probably teach me so much! This is far too good to pass up!'_

_" _I'd be glad to go! I'll go give this to Mr. Aizawa right now! Thanks All Might!" With that, the Quirk Inheritor took off back towards his classroom.

All Might looked on to his young successor running down the hall.

"**Have mercy on that poor boy's soul."**

…

The formerly quirkless teen was running to the front entrance of school to go out on his 'not date'. He had turned in Gran Torino's request form to Mr. Aizawa, who was teaching "Hero Escape Artistry" to Mineta and Kaminari.

Which is essentially just wrapping them up as tight as he could in his scarf, dangling them upside down, and each minute they don't manage to escape he gives them another homework assignment. Aizawa was skeptical that he had chosen such an unknown hero when he had received offers from big names, but he let it slide.

As Izuku got closer to the gate, he could see Yaoyorozu waiting for him...in front of a limo.

She looked in his direction and smiled.

"Midoriya, what took you?"

"S-Sorry Yaoyorozu, I got a last minute request for an internship. He apparently was a teacher during the time All Might went here, so I decided to take it. "

Momo raised her eyebrows, "Wow, I didn't think anyone from that time wouldn't be retired. But nonetheless that's incredible Midoriya. Now, where should we go first? I'm sure Tsuji is getting anxious in the car."

"Um, Tsuji?"

"Oh, he's my driver. We just need to tell him where we're going and he will drop us off."

Midoriya paused, he had just realized something. He had never actually thought of_where _they were going to go. Where _should_they go? He didn't exactly have many places he considered "hang out spots". Mostly because he had never really hung out with, well... anyone

"Uh, honestly I-I didn't actually think of that. I was kind of thinking we could just wander around."

"That's fine by me. Here, you can put your backpack in the car. You can get it when Tsuji picks me up. "

Momo knocked on the front window, they put their backpacks into the limousine and sent her driver off. They took off into the city, starting small talk.

"So Midoriya, have you made any more improvements to your quirk? I'm sure your new control over it has opened up a whole new array of ideas."

Midoriya rubbed the back of his head, "Actually...N-Now I'm even further behind."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, y-you see I might have some control over it, but it's such a small amount. Not t-too mention its way slow switching between my arms and legs and I now have to figure out a whole way of fighting. I can't just do full power punches anymore."

Momo put a hand on her chin, "Hmm...that's true. It's like Todoroki, he switches side but it slows him down. If he will either overheat or frostbite will cover his entire body."

Midoriya watched her try to work things out in her head, but decided against letting her continue.

"Yaoyorozu, it's okay. We should j-just have a good time. T-There's no need to focus on my problems right now. The problem we _should _focus on is how to fend off possible boredom."

Yaoyorozu looked behind him, "Well, is that a possible solution."

Izuku turned around to see a bookstore. He hadn't even been paying attention to where they were walking. He realized they were on a small street of shops and small restaurants. A perfect spot for window shopping.

"I'm don't know if you're an avid reader like I am, but I just thought it might be a nice stop."

"It's great! Yeah let's go in."

Yaoyorozu was smiled, glad that her suggestion was taken in stride. They walked inside to find the store to look almost antique. The floors and shelves were all made of old redwood. The furniture looked like it was owned by the owners great great grandmother. The wallpaper and various other parts of the store had a Victorian design to it.

"Good Afternoon."

Both turned to see a man come out from a room behind the front desk. "Are you two looking for something specific or just browsing?"

"Oh just browsing for now" Momo responded.

"Alright then, my name is Mr. Yubi. If you need anything just shout out, and my son is around here somewhere too. He can help as well."

Both bowed, "Thank you."

Mr. Yubi walked to the back of the store, they could hear him talking to someone, presumably his son.

"_ C'mon, you can't just use your arms to lift those. You'll hurt yourself. Use your whole body."_

They decided to stray away from that area to leave the two to their work. Momo was looking at almost every book spine while Midoriya immediately shot to the comics. After a few minutes, Yaoyorozu spoke to Izuku.

"Who's your favorite?"

Midoriya turned to see nothing but a large stack of books. Yaoyorozu poked her head out from the side of it, "Hehe, sorry."

She put her books down and stood next to Midoriya, "I was asking who was your favorite of the Pre-Quirk Era heroes. Am I wrong to assume with your love for All Might, his colors, and his ideals that you like Superman?"

"Haha! Oh yeah, very wrong. I might like that type of hero, but even I-I think he's way too boring. I'm actually more into Spider-Man. And even though he's a bit dark, I always liked Batman for his powerlessness."

Momo raised her eyebrow, "Really? I didn't expect the person with so much love for different powers to like the hero without any."

Izuku grabbed his arm, "Well, I-I don't know. I guess I just thought it was c-cool that he did something that's impossible nowadays."

"Why is it impossible?"

Izuku was stunned by that. That was the first time in his entire life he had heard someone question that. Did...did she actually think it was possible?

"I...I-I mean, how could someone quirkless be a hero. Wouldn't they just...get in the way?"

Momo furrowed her brow, "No, not really. Not as long as they train too. Granted, they would have to work so much harder than anyone else, but they could. I mean look at Batman. Yes he's fictional, but besides the money everything he does is possible to do. With the right training I'd say they can."

Now Izuku _really _wished he had known Yaoyorozu before a few days ago. If he had her, or at least someone with the same mindset as her when he was a kid...life definitely wouldn't have been as hard.

"Thank you."

Momo tilted her head, "Hm? Why are you thanking me for that?"

'_ Oh crap!'_

"Uh I-I just, um…"

Izuku looked around for a distraction of some kind. He saw Mr. Yubi at his desk holding some boxes, trying to put them on a shelf. Suddenly, his fingers extended out to put them up on the shelf.

'_ Wait, his fingers. His quirk is just like...wait. Yubi? That surname sounds familiar.'_

"Hey son, there are more boxes over here!"

Another voice came out from the back of the store, "Comin' Pops!"

'_ T-That voice! No. Nononono!'_

Izuku was snapped out of it by Yaoyorozu shaking his shoulder, "Midoriya! Midoriya what's wrong?"

"Momo we should go! I just remembered that I-"

"Holy hell! Deku?"

'... _damnit _.'

Izuku slowly turned around to see Naides Yubi, the Extending Quirk User who was one of Bakugou's main lackeys since they were 4.

"H-Hello, Y-Yubi."

"Wow uh, it really is you. Um...what's up man?"

Midoriya did a double take. Yubi was acting really... awkward around him. He was keeping his distance with his hands in his pockets. He was sweating and keeping direct eye contact to an absolute minimum.

This was the kid that use to help bully and beat him up? Izuku then thought back to the train ride that morning. Almost everyone that saw him recognized him from the Sports Festival, so it's safe to assume that Naides saw it too.

That means that Naides saw Izuku show off his new quirk and win the whole Festival. He saw the weak quirkless kid he bullied break the hands of the biggest bully Aldera Junior High had. The bully that Yubi followed around.

'_ Is he... afraid of me?'_

Yaoyorozu was looking back and forth between the two, "You two know each other?"

Yubi spoke up again, "We went to middle school together. Hey I uh, saw you in the Sports Festival. You were great man. You really got into U.A huh?"

He looked over to Yaoyorozu, "And you got smokin' girlfriend! Geez man, what happened? But more importantly, how did you suddenly get a quirk? Especially such a powerful one."

Midoriya's heart rate skyrocketed after that. At this rate he might as well just go to the local news station and tell them his secret. He saw Yaoyorozu looking confused.

"Wait? What do you mean 'suddenly got a quirk'? Hasn't Midoriya always had one?"

"No, as long as I knew him he was quirkless."

He saw Momo look at him, surprise and confusion drawn onto her face. He needed out of here. NOW.

Thankfully, Yubi's father stepped in,

"Wait a minute! Midoriya? That's the name of that boy whose mother called us years ago complaining that you were bullying him."

...and made it worse.

Midoriya tried to escape, "W-We s-should be going now. S-S-Sorry to disturb you."

"No no! I want you to get a face to face apology from my son."

"That's really not necess-"

Soto grabbed his son's shoulder and spoke sternly, "Naides, don't you have something you want to say?"

At first Yubi was hesitant, but eventually bowed down to the floor.

"De-... Midoriya, I'm so sorry for my behavior for all of those years. I don't know if it was out of mindless loyalty to Bakugou or of my stupidity, but I deeply apologize for everything I've done."

His father then walked over and bowed as well, "And I deeply apologize for my son. Me and my wife were sure that we raised him better, but I guess we were wrong. Please, all of those books you have acquired are free of charge. It's the absolute least we can do."

Midoriya couldn't move. He didn't know what to do. Yaoyorozu saw his discomfort and took charge.

"That's okay. We'll pay and take our leave. Let's go Midoriya."

She took his elbow and brought him to the front door, "Wait for me here. And do not even think about running away. It's okay."

Yaoyorozu went back for the book stack she had left behind and brought it to the front desk with . Izuku thought he was going to have a panic attack. Yaoyorozu now not only knows he didn't have a quirk for most of his life, but he was bullied. Bakugou even got a name drop. This was bad.

"Hey."

Izuku turned to see Naides had walked over to him.

"Look man, I know it looked like I was forced to do that. But I meant it, and it was a long time coming. I know I shouldn't be forgiven but uh...just thought I should let you know. Besides, your doing great now. You actually made it to the greatest hero school in the world like you said. I'm going to just some common high school. I should also let you know that everyone else who was a part of what I did also aren't in a hero school. So you were really the best of us."

Yubi then looked up and down at Yaoyorozu at the counter, "Yeah. You're _definitely _doing well for yourself."

"Stop."

Yubi whipped back to Midoriya, "What?"

"Don't look at her like that. Stop looking at her in general."

Yubi put his hands up in defense, "Sorry! Sorry man. I didn't mean to perv or anything. It was supposed to be a compliment to you and your girlfrie-"

"She's not my girlfriend. She's a friend."

Yubi gave him a look of disbelief, "Uh...yeah. Sure. Just um... you're gonna be a great hero man."

With that, Yubi walked off to the back of the store out of sight.

Yaoyorozu came back to Izuku, "I'm going to come back and pick the books up on my way home. Now, I believe we have hangout to get back to."

"Yaoyorozu I- _mmph"_

Momo created a small piece of tape that said "Stop" on it, and put it over his mouth.

"Let's not talk here. Let's go somewhere else. I think the last thing you need is to be in here anymore."

She took off the tape and held open the door for him. He didn't know where they were going to go next, but he did know one thing…

...he had a lot of explaining to do.

**A/N:**Btw, Yubi is fingers in Japanese. Tsuji is a play off of crossroads. And Soto is a play off of father. So essentially his name is "Father Fingers." And Neidas is a play off of long.

This is the end of Part 1 of their little hangout. Which has already gone south. And no, Momo isn't going to find out about One For All yet. Way too early for that. But she will learn a good chunk of Midoriya's past. Not all of it though. There are some pieces I want to save for later. Anyway, comment and review. I love talking with you guys. Thank you for the amazing support on this story :) Peace out.

Also, if finger kid actually had a canon name I'm sorry. I literally couldn't find it anywhere


	13. An Explanation

Izuku always hated lying. Mostly due to the fact that he was raised to believe it was the wrong thing to do in most situations…

... partially due to the fact that he was utterly terrible at it.

Which means, there was no way that he was going to be able to lie to Yaoyorozu about what happened in the bookstore. But he had to at least alter the truth in some way. At least they were alone, well mostly.

They were sitting in a small, cozy family owned restaurant. It was down the same street as the bookstore. Luckily, lunch hour was over hours ago, so the place was empty save for a couple tables of old folks. Momo guided them to a

corner booth in an empty part of the dining area. The parts of the booth sticking out from the wall had wood coming up out of the top and up into the ceiling. It was essentially a very small diamond room with an opening.

It was a nice little place. Maroon walls with wood flooring, leather booths, dim lighting but the sun came through the front windows. There was a large open window where people could watch the chefs cook food Izuku would have really enjoyed it here if it wasn't for the fact that he felt like dying at the moment. He even saw they had katsudon as a special today, but he figured he'd probably throw it up.

Momo was ordering their drinks. She had been taking charge the whole time because Izuku had been trying to form some kind of story to tell her. The waitress brought their lavender tea, and Momo sent her off telling her they'll call her over when they are ready to order.

This is the part where Midoriya figured the deafening awkward silence would kick in, but Momo had other ideas.

"Are you okay?"

Midoriya looked up to Yaoyorozu. She had taken off her school jacket, leaving her in a long white button up. She had legit concern on her face, leaning toward him across the table.

"I...I know that wasn't... pleasant, for you. I'm so sorry for taking us in there. If I had known I swear-"

"No! No _don't_ blame yourself. I-It wasn't your fault, and it's not like you or anyone else f-for that matter would have known."

Yaoyorozu still felt guilty for it. For more than just one reason.

"It's just that I...it shouldn't have happened to begin with, but it shouldn't have been me. I shouldn't be the one to learn all of that. Uraraka and Iida deserve that knowledge far more than I do. I'm just invading your privacy."

"I...i'm actually kinda glad it was you. I'm not happy it happened, but I am sort of relieved that you're the first one."

Once again today, the Creation Quirk user was confused, "Why on Earth would I be the one you want to hear that? Iida and Uraraka have known you since the start of school and you and I have barely known each other for 3 days."

"Well, Uraraka and Iida are great but...I-I feel like they would have made a big deal out of it."

"It _is _a big deal."

"Maybe but, as much as Iida preaches to the class to b-be quiet and calm, he's usually the exact opposite. And Uraraka can be p-pretty intense and protective sometimes. You were far calmer than I was or those two w-would have been. I didn't need someone trying to p-protect me there, I needed someone to keep things from escalating. So, t-thank you for that."

Yaoyorozu gave a small smile to Midoriya, but began to grow a sad expression onto her face.

"I should have known."

Izuku scrunched up his face in confusion, "Know what?" Yaoyorozu started tugging and twirling her front bang, and spoke.

"I've read hundreds of books about the human body over the years. Mostly for my quirk, but I grew an interest over time. Eventually, my reading lead from the body to the brain, and the effects things have on it...like trauma. I always wondered why you flinched at everything, or why seemed to have no idea what to do when surrounded by people. Even when said people liked you, you seemed to distance yourself from the crowd, you compact your shoulders and put your head down a lot. You are always anxious. Stuttering can be caused by anxiety too. Even when you helped me at the festival, you put yourself down…"

She thought back to that day, the words he spoke to her,

_"I mean...I'm not all that much. Besides my body destroying quirk, I'm as plain as they come."_

"...and with how... _explosive_ Bakugou can be, and the standard treatment of quirkless in society; I can only assume that your treatment during middle school was anything but mild."

Midoriya's silence was all she needed for an answer.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to but... I'd be honored to be the one you trust with this knowledge, and to help you with this like you helped me. And _don't _think I'm only doing this to repay you. Believe it or not Midoriya, I and everyone else cares about you. I believe, you might feel better having someone help carry this weight."

Midoriya looked down to his lap, unsure of what to do. This was stuff he hadn't even told All Might or his Mom. They only knew some vague stuff about it. For all his Mom knew, the bullying was a one time thing. She probably thought those calls to the parents solved the problems.

In reality, it just made Kacchan and his lackeys angrier. So from that day forward, Midoriya never told a single soul anything that ever happened to him, as some kind of weak, ironic self preservation system.

He felt like the most tightly packed gas tank, his pressure was at an all-time high. With school, One for All, living up to All Might, and the past ten minutes...maybe it was time. It was way too early to reveal than he was comfortable with but...maybe doing this now would help him.

''_She really seems to...care. About __**me**__. It's only been a few days and yet I feel like I've known her as long as Uraraka and Iida. I still can't believe she has a low opinion of herself."_

"... okay."

Yaoyorozu smile spread open, "Hold on, just one second."

She got up, turned around…and began unbuttoning the bottom half of her shirt.

Midoriya jumped in his seat and covered his eyes, his face burning up.

"What are you doing!?"

"Just a couple more seconds...and done. You can look."

Midoriya slowly looked over his hands and saw Momo, fully buttoned up, with an odd looking blanket and two stick-on hooks. She put the hooks up high on the booth walls. She then hooked the thick blanket up, closing off the rest of the restaurant from their table. Enclosing their booth for privacy.

"It's a sound absorption sheet. The most anyone will be able to hear from us are muffled noises now. I hope this makes you more comfortable" she asked as she sat back down.

Izuku felt an odd sensation in his chest. She was going through so much effort just to help him, it made him flustered...or maybe it was the fact that she just unbuttoned her shirt in front of him.

"Y-Yeah thanks, it does actually. Now uh...I-I don't exactly know where to start, so I guess I'll start 11 years ago."

Momo realized that with a story starting over a decade ago, she was in for the long haul. She got comfortable, ready to listen.

"When I-I was four, life was actually good. Me and Kacchan were best friends, o-or at least I thought we were. In reality I was just kind of a follower; I-I'm not too sure how he felt back then. But we both loved heroes, especially All Might, and it was our dream to be the greatest heroes ever."

Midoriya still couldn't believe he was telling someone about this. This was information he did his best to keep under lock and key; buried thousands of feet underground.

"M-My love for heroes however, was through the roof. I-It was all I ever wanted to be; I didn't ever even acknowledge another thought. I would create hero names for myself, and I-I would try to guess what quirk I would have. But...my mom and I went to the get quirk evaluation test, and I know this is strange but...I-I was diagnosed as quirkless."

"But-"

"I know. My quirk was dormant until I was able to physically handle it's backlash, but we didn't know that at the time. And I still had an extra joint in my pinkie toe. So I was diagnosed quirkless."

'_Please believe that!'_

Yaoyorozu was baffled by all of this, First of all, Bakugou actually had the capability of being friendly? To you? And dormant quirks was something I have never heard of before, but it honestly makes sense. If you as you are now still break your bones when using your quirk, I don't want to imagine what would have happened if you used it when you were little."

Izuku nervously chuckled, "Y-Yeah, I don't think I would b-be here right now."

"Well, I'm glad you are."

Izuku smiled at that. He looked at Yaoyorozu again; she had made herself more comfortable. She had brought her legs up into her seat, her knees to her chest. She was cradling her tea in her hands close to her face.

Her onyx eyes were either intently on him, or they were looking into her tea, furrowing her brow and pursing her trying to process the information given to her. It was…

'..._cute.'_

Midoriya was warm and comfortable in their little makeshift room. He didn't feel any more uneasiness.

"Yeah. Me too. Um, anyway I-I was...less than thrilled." He sighed, "I-I was devastated. My dream w-was crushed right in front of me, all because of a stupid joint in my toe. That night, I asked my Mom i-if she thought I-I could still be a hero. She just...cried...cried and told me that she was sorry."

Midoriya was looking down at the table, following the patterns in the tablecloth. Yaoyorozu's silence spurred him to continue.

"When Kacchan g-got his quirk, and word got around that I didn't have one; things...changed.

Kacchan started to hate me, a-and because everyone revered him at school, that meant everyone else did too. They gave me the name 'Deku', meaning useless. Everyone kept t-telling me I couldn't be a hero, but I rejected them. That's where my journals came from. I-I thought they could help me be a hero without a quirk. I started analyzing heroes and their quirks. Hehe, my first couple of journals were in crayon."

Momo laughed, "Now I can't tell if I should be sad at this story, mad at Bakugou, or gush at how cute that is."

Midoriya chuckled and continued, "Things t-took a turn for even worse when Kacchan was beating up on a kid and I-I jumped in to defend him. They started hurting me instead. He a-and the other kids decided that it was way more fun to hurt me than anyone else, so I-I became the number one target at school. Even then, I didn't let it s-stop me. I kept at my journals, even if no one, not even my mom believed in me."

Midoriya looked back up to Yaoyorozu. She was clenching her eyes shut in anger and disbelief.

"There must have been someone who believed in you; at least one friend."

"Honestly... Uraraka and Iida were my first friends since I was four. O-Or really my first _real_ friends. At least my first ones who actually like me. But hey, things g-got better. My quirk came in during the entrance exam after I trained my body. And now at U.A, I have friends, and I'm here with you."

Yaoyorozu knew it had to have been bad, but this...was not even close to what she was expecting. Well, now she finally understood why Midoriya thanked her in the bookstore earlier. This was far beyond her expectations. She knew there were bits and pieces he wasn't telling her. No one went through all of that for multiple years completely alone without some psychological problems, and he rushed past his middle school years. Not even All Might could go through all of that by himself.

She was not a doctor or therapist, but there was no way that anyone could go through what Izuku did without suffering from at _least _moderate depression, and that was low balling it; giving it the benefit of the doubt. However, she was already pushing it enough today. If she started pushing those buttons, she might lose him for good. Another day perhaps.

"How are you still you? How are you still such a pure and nice person? If anyone else went through that they would be cynical and full of hate. I lost a single battle and I broke down. You went through all of this and _you _were the one to pick me back up. You're even more amazing then I thought Midoriya."

Midoriya blushed heavily, rubbing the back of his head, "I-I just... thought that a hero wouldn't l-let words get to him. T-Thank you though."

Izuku thought it best to leave out that their words did get to him...a lot. But he had hurt Kacchan's reputation in someone's eyes enough. Yaoyorozu continued,

"I always thought Bakugou was less than approachable, but this...this is despicable. I'm assuming your fight with him in the Festival brought up some old memories, which lead to breaking his hands, yes?"

"Uh... y-yeah. I already f-feel really bad about that. Kacchan is-"

"Guilty!? Why? I'm not one who believes revenge or catharsis is healthy, but he deserves what happened to him.

"But I-"

"And why do you still call him Kacchan? I don't think he is on friendly enough terms with you to warrant a nickname."

Midoriya thought that over for a second. He knew why he still called him Kacchan, but he knew Yaoyorozu wasn't going to like it.

"I-It's because I-I still somewhat view him as a friend. No matter what he d-did, he was always someone I looked up to. He n-never gave up, he was tenacious, h-he always worked to get what he desired, he was the spitting image of victory. Even if I hate him, I-I couldn't and still can't help but admire him."

Yaoyorozu just stared at him, without saying a single word. Midoriya was beginning to worry.

"Midoriya, I'm about to do something I do not condone or would do on a regular basis."

"Uh, w-ha-"

Momo suddenly created a paperback book from her leg, and smacked him over the head with it.

"Ow! Why di-"

"He is not your friend Midoriya! He's cruel, impolite, egotistical, and a bully! He doesn't deserve your friendship, much less your respect and admiration! Don't give him that."

Midoriya rubbed his head bump, "Yaoyorozu I-I ju-"

"He's not your friend Midoriya. That's something you need to accept, or he will continue to drag you down. To you, he is Bakugou. Not Kacchan or Katsuki...just Bakugou."

'_She's... she's right. I blinded myself for 10 years thinking I could be a quirkless hero. I can't blind myself to this too."_

"It's going to t-take awhile to get use to calling him Bakugou."

Yaoyorozu smiled brightly at his name usage, "Don't worry, I'll try to remind you. And thank you Midoriya, for telling me all of this. I'm so happy that you trust me enough with this information. I won't tell a soul, I promise. I'm glad you stayed heroic after all of those years. If not, we wouldn't have spoken at the festival."

"Me too Yaoyorozu."

Midoriya smiled, and relaxed his body. He felt 20 pounds light getting all of that off of his chest. He still had so much hidden, but this was enough for now. And she was happy, and her smile and bubbly attitude right now made it even more worth it.

"C'mon Midoriya, let's actually order food. I think we need some light-hearted conversations after that."

"I-I couldn't agree more."

Yaoyorozu took down the curtain, becoming shocked when she sees that the sun has almost gone down. The restaurant empty except for the sounds of bustling in the kitchen.

"We've been out for quite some time, haven't we?"

Midoriya looked around the restaurant, "Y-Yeah, seems like it. I-I understand if you want to go home. It i-is pretty late so-"

"No no it's fine. We might as well have dinner while we're here."

Yaoyorozu walked over to a table where a waitress was retying chopsticks together for setting tables, "Excuse me. I'm so sorry for being here so long and keeping you and your staff, but my friend and I are finally ready to order."

The waitress accepted, came over to their table and took their orders. Yaoyorozu decided to go along with Izuku's choice with katsudon with how much he praised the dish. They commenced small talk and soon evolved into full blown discussions and light hearted debates. Even as their meals were eaten and bills paid, they still sat in their seats.

"_All Might's Sky China 2: Electric Boogaloo _was awful Midoriya! How could you like that!? Yaoyorozu exclaimed, laughing through her entire sentence.

"Y-You can't deny it was creative! All Might might not be a great actor, but the fights were great!"

As they laughed their hearts out, the waitress came back over to their table, "I know you two have paid, but if you two could just wait a little bit longer; the owners saw how cute you two were together and are making some free desserts for you."

Midoriya immediately locked up, and Yaoyorozu blushed. Yaoyorozu tried to correct her.

"N-No, we're not together. We're just friends."

"Pfft, not if the author has anything to say about it."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. I'll be back soon with your deserts."

As confusing as that was, the two students cleared their throats and decided to ignore how often people have been mistaking them for a couple lately.

"So... Midoriya, you said earlier that your quirk came in during the entrance exam. So you're saying you went into the exam!?"

"Um...k-kind of."

Yaoyorozu smiled and shook her head, "You're always full of surprises, aren't you Midoriya? Reckless yet brave at the same time. That about fully sums you up. But, learning how to use your quirk so late in life, it must be even harder than it seems."

"You d-don't know the half of it" Midoriya muttered. "I've made improvements, but like I said earlier, I've slowed myself down by switching between my arms and legs. If only I could just find a way to move my power around faster."

His train of thought process was interrupted when he heard talking from the open kitchen window. He saw an old man teaching a young new employee how to cook something. It looked like their desserts. The old man started speaking.

"No no young Tanaka, you must keep the dough a circle. That way it cooks evenly. Heat spreads throughout the entire pastry. Both sides will cook thoroughly instead of just one."

Something in Midoriya's head suddenly just clicked.

_'he will either overheat or frostbite will cover his entire body.'_

_'C'mon, you can't just use your arms to lift those. You'll hurt yourself. Use your whole body.'_

_'Heat spreads throughout the entire pastry. Both sides will cook thoroughly instead of just one.'_

Izuku's eyes became saucers, "Yaoyorozu!"

Momo jumped at the quirk inheritor's outburst, "What's wrong Midoriya!?"

"I'M A PASTRY!"

"...What?"

"I-I MEAN I'M YUBI!"

"Midoriya you're scaring me."

"I'M FROSTBITE!"

"...I should have listened to Iida when he wanted to more heavily enforce drug tests at school."

"What!? No I-I just...hold on!

Midoriya jumped out of his seat and stood with his arms out, elbows in, and his feet spread wide. His skin began to flow.

"I shouldn't be trying to figure out how to move my power back and forth. I shouldn't be moving it at all!"

Yaoyorozu saw Izuku's usual red vein-like lightning slowly spread from his arms to the rest of his body.

"If I just spread my power evenly throughout my entire body, then I can stop the injuries, _and _become much faster!"

Both watch as his red lightning switched to a more electronic cyan. Now his lightning was like an aura, spinning and sparking off of and around his body.

Yaoyorozu watched in awe. Midoriya had improved his quirk in a matter of days when it takes most years to evolve their powers.

"Midoriya, that's incredible! Look at you! Can you move?"

Izuku furrowed his brow, "I'm not sure. B-but... let's find out?"

He got down in a running position about to take off, when suddenly the waitress came back with a to-go box, "Um, you can't use your quirk in here sir."

Midoriya shot up and shut off his power, "Right! Uh s-sorry."

"It's alright, here are your desserts. You two have a nice night."

With that, the two exited the restaurant; Izuku was shaking with excitement.

"I have to get home and test this out!"

"At least let me give you a ride. I called Tsuji when the bill was paid, he should be parked around here somewhere."

The U.A students found the limo and entered. Izuku gave Tsuji his address and off they went.

The driving cabin window rolled down and Tsuji spoke, "Madam, I stopped by the bookstore and picked up the books you mentioned. Taking an interest in art I see?"

He lifted up book on drawing human anatomy. Yaoyorozu became confused, "I didn't buy that."

"Oh! That's mine! Sorry, i-it must've gotten mixed up in your book stack." Midoriya climbed over and grabbed it.

"You're interested in art Midoriya" Yaoyorozu asked curiously.

"Well, I-I have always sketched heroes into my journals with my analyses. I've only ever really done faces, so I thought I-I should start making the body."

"Really? You should let me see it sometime."

Midoriya scratched his cheek, "I-I haven't made my entry of you yet, s-so I'll start on that tomorrow."

Tsuji spoke up again, "Pardon me madam, but we're here."

Both students looked out of the window to see Izuku's apartment building. Both got out of the limousine and stood in front next to it.

"Midoriya, today turned out to be far more than I had signed up for, but in a good way. Again, I won't tell a soul about anything from today. Thank you so much for... everything. Let's do it again sometime. After internships?"

"Y-Yeah, that sounds good. M-Maybe next time everyone else can actually come."

"Oh, uh yeah."

Yaoyorozu didn't know why, but she felt a little disappointed at the thought of others coming along. Today felt... special. Like it was meant for them to do, and only them.

"Well, g-good night Yaoyorozu."

Yaoyorozu smiled warmly, and hugged Midoriya.

"... Goodnight Midoriya."

She got back into her limo, and drove off. Midoriya inhaled and exhaled deeply, processing the day that just happened.

He headed up to his apartment and opened the door.

"Mom! I'm home! I'm sorry I was later than I said, I just...Mom?"

He had walked into the living room to see his mom looking out of the window in silence, tears pouring down her face.

"Mom what's wrong!? Did-"

He then realized something. The window she was looking out of was facing where he arrived in Yaoyorozu's limo. So that means she saw…

'_Uh oh.'_

Inko shot from the window and collided into Izuku.

"MY BABY HAS A GIRLFRIEND!"

**A/N: **Just wait until Izuku realizes that art anatomy books are filled with nude pictures


	14. What Even is Izuku's Life?

_*A PHONE CALL, IS HERE! A PHONE CALL, IS HERE! A PHONE CALL, IS HERE! A PHO-*_

Toshinori fumbled his hand out from under the covers to his bedside table. Finally grabbing his phone, he squinted at it in the darkness. He looks to see the contact to be the only person who would call him at this hour.

_*Click*_

_" _Ugh...hello Young Midori-"

_"_ALL MIGHT_!"_

_" _Ah! Jeez kid not so loud. It's one in the morning."

"Sorry! Sorry sorry sorry but I just really needed to call you because you see today I went out with Yaoyorozu but not a date because that would be weird right but anyway we were in a restaurant and then I thought about frostbite and pastries and bullies and then I-"

Toshinori still wondered how his young successor sometimes didn't need to breathe or forgets what punctuation is. He was tired, and very unamused by this conversation at the moment. Not that he wasn't happy Midoriya was making friends or anything, but...sleep. Sleep. He wants to sleep.

"Okay! First of all, breathe my boy."

He heard Izuku finally inhale after all of that.

"Now, try again, Simply and _slowly."_

_" _Okay. Sorry about that I was just excited. Let me start over." All Might heard Izuku catch his breath, inhale deeply, and then...

" _... _I'm a pastry."

"...Goodnight Young Midoriya."

"Nonono wait! Sorry again! Bad choice of words. I improved on One for All again! Please! Let's meet at the beach!"

Toshinori then realized he wasn't getting any more sleep tonight.

…

(Dagobah Municipal Beach Park. 1:23 a.m.)

All Might arrived at the beach with a large styrofoam cup filled with every energy drink he could find at the local convenience store. He buried his face into his long dark gray coat, and took his first step into the sand.

' _Hmm, where is Young Midoriya?'_

Toshinori began to look around until a light caught his eye. He turned his head to see a green light coming towards him from further down the beach fast. Like, really fast. Like he should really get out of the way fast.

All Might jumped back to avoid the streak of green light. Whatever it was, it stopped right in front of him and caused a small cloud of sand to shroud itself.

"Sorry All Might! I almost didn't see you there."

' _...wait.' _Yagi's eyes widened, and his jaw went slack, "Young Midoriya?" The sand cloud disappeared to reveal Toshinori's successor in a green shirt and black shorts, covered in green lightning. "What- uh, how did-?"

"I-It's kind of a long story." Izuku took All Might's hand and helped him up. All Might patted off the sand on his clothes and coughed a bit.

* _cough cough* " _Well, I'm definitely awake now. So you might as well tell your tale."

And so, they sat down on a bench and Midoriya told All Might of all of the events that transpired that day. All of which leading up to his revelation.

"A dessert? Kid you really need to work on your analogies, but it works I guess. You're improving so much faster than I anticipated, and it seems to lead back to Young Yaoyorozu."

Izuku scrunched up his face in confusion, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm assuming due to the time of your sudden companionship with her that she was an inspiration to your actions as the Festival. And now you figure out this uh, what was it again?"

"Full Cowling."

"You learn Full Cowling while you are with her. She seems to be quite a good influence on you."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head blushing, "Well she is really great. Maybe her intellect is rubbing off on me."

"Well, hopefully th**at also means quick thinking in a fight!**"

Izuku rotated to see All Might in his buff form, bending his knees and spreading his legs apart.

"**I want to see this, 'Full Cowling' for myself! Young Midoriya, how about using me as a practice dummy? Let's prepare you for Gran Torino by doing one of his favorite practice routines. Use your new technique of yours and try to land a solid blow on me. And of course I will allow this temporary non-licensed quirk usage outside of school."**

Izuku smiled and charged up, green lightning flowing around him.

"Let's go!"

…

"Sand in the eyes is a dirty move Young Midoriya," All Might said back in his normal form, blinking his eyes rapidly. They were sitting down on a bench against the back landing of the beach. All Might was sporting a faint bruise on his jaw.

"Sorry, it worked though."

"Haha, not the point," Toshinori said picking up some sand and putting it in his successor's hair.

Izuku shook that sand out and laughed.

"Thanks for helping me practice All Might. When I was with Yaoyorozu I almost did it inside of the restaurant.

Toshinori looked at his successor's face when he thought or spoke about Yaoyorozu. He could see something that he had never seen on Izuku's face before. Happiness. True happiness. He had seen Midoriya smile and laugh and be happy, yes. But this was entirely different. This looked like a level of happiness that Izuku probably hasn't felt in many years. This made Toshinori excited for Izuku...and worried. Maybe it was finally time to let him know.

"Young Midoriya, what are your feelings toward Yaoyorozu? Are they more than friendly?"

"What!? I-I-I uh well n-no sh-sh-she is just a friend! W-Where did that come from!?"

All Might put a hand on Izuku's head, "Being dense about your feelings is one thing, and denying them is another. Right now my boy, you're doing both. You two just met, so there's no rush to get all lovey dovey just yet. But...there's something I should probably tell you.

Midoriya, choosing to ignore the first three sentences of that, turned his head towards his mentor.

"Young Midoriya you have a lot of trust in Young Yaoyorozu, and from what I can see, she will begin to be a major part of your life. Which in turn, means that you will one day want to tell her about One For All. Romance as a hero can be a... tricky situation. One For All by no means makes it any easier."

"B-But All Might, me and Yaoyorozu-"

"Let's just call it hypothetical. Say you two did want to become romantically involved, you will want to tell her our secret. Especially since you are so honest, you won't want to hide anything from her. Well... there is a bit more danger to others knowing than I first let on. Others might try and go after them yes, but there is someone specific I think it's time you know about."

All Might looked around to make sure they were absolutely alone, and then sighed.

"His name...is All For One."

…

When Inko was told years ago that being a mother gives you a sixth sense, she just laughed. But, having Izuku Midoriya for a son proved her wrong. Nearly every second of the day she had some random feeling that something was wrong; it usually involved Izuku.

And waking up at one in the morning with a tingle in your brain definitely gave off a red flag. She tiredly shuffled down the hall to Izuku's room to see the door halfway open. She peeked inside to see him gone, his bed untouched.

Eyes widening in panic, she rushed to the front door, seeing his red shoes gone.

' _He took his shoes, so he left on his own volition. Not kidnapped, good sign. Snuck out in the middle of the night? Bad sign.'_

Izuku not at home = Worried half to death mother

Inko immediately grabbed her phone and rushed out the door.

…

"So...I have to fight All For One someday? And he might kill and or capture Yaoyorozu or anyone else if I told them about One For All."

"Possibly. I'm sorry my boy. He's one of the reasons I never found love myself; I was always too terrified."

Izuku was at a complete loss. This always happens. Once his life starts to get better, the universe decides to push him down once again.

' _I finally get a really good grip on my quirk and have a girl I could possibly (probably) like. And now that quirk might get me and said girl killed. Just Perfect. *Sigh* It's not like she would ever like me back anyway...if I even like her like that. Feelings suck.'_

"This can't get any worse. Wait! You're never supposed to say that! I take it back! I ta-"

"IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

"Crap."

All Might and Izuku turned to see an angry bed-frazzled mother stomp down the steps on to the beach. It was always a rare sight to see Inko, the sweet and lovely lady, angry at anything. It was especially rare to see her angry at her pride and joy Izuku. In fact it quite possibly has never happened before. She could be stern maybe, but angry no. So such a rare thing was utterly terrifying.

"U-Uh A-All Might, I could use a little-"

Izuku turned to see All Might already halfway down the beach running away.

"-...help"

Izuku turned to accept his fate.

"It is 2 in the morning and you're sneaking out! You have school tomorrow! Do you know what could have happened to you!? Do you know how many villains could have attacked you!? And who is this man that you're meeting!?"

All Might was suddenly right back next to Izuku. Midoriya looked past All Might to a trail where his feet dragged in the sand.

_" _Did...did you just use your quirk to drag him back? I thought it was just small objects!?"

"He is a very thin man and I am very angry! Now are you going to answer me young man!?"

"W-Well I-I-I just, y-you see-"

"I called him out here."

Both Midoriya's turned their heads to All Might, "It was me. Young Midoriya had a breakthrough with his quirk and I felt it couldn't wait. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience." All Might bowed down in front of Inko.

"And who are you exactly?"

All Might rose back up and extended his hand. "My name is Toshinori Yagi. I work at All Might's agency and due to their similar quirks, All Might asked me to personally train and keep an eye on Young Midoriya whenever he's not at school. I'm use to quirks like theirs. I know it was foolish of me to call him here at such an hour, but every breakthrough that helps Midoriya stop breaking his bones is quite exciting to me."

Inko shook Toshinori's hand; she still had a questioning look on her face. "Nice to meet you, I'm Inko Midoriya. Thank you for taking the fall for my son, but he's still in trouble."

"How did you know it was a lie?"

"My son is sweating profusely trying to keep his mouth shut. Usually that means he's trying to stop himself from telling the truth."

Both adults turned to watch Izuku with his lips sucked in, eyes wide, and sweat pouring down his face. ' _Young Midoriya, you're so bad at lying.'_

"Besides, my son is the only person in the world who would wake someone up this early for a quirk." Inko had mellowed out by now; it was far too early for her body to stay mad. Izuku still had a question on his mind.

"Uh Mom? H-How exactly did you find us?"

"I have a put tracker in your phone."

"What!? But why did you-" Midoriya thought back to everything that has happened to him in the past year. "Actually that's a good idea."

"Speaking of phones, your punishment is that you don't get said device back until you go on your internship."

"But Mom what if-"

"Honey, I'm sure your girlfriend could wait less than a week to text you. You'll see her at school anyway."

"S-She's not my gi-" Izuku realized it would be best to just let his mom have this instead of possibly angering her again. So he just handed over his phone.

"Thank you. Now we need to get home. Look at me, bedhead and bathrobes isn't exactly a flattering look."

All Might stepped up at this. "Please, let me give you both a ride home. It's the least I can do. And might I say Ms. Midoriya, you make bedhead and bathrobes look quite lovely. So you have nothing to worry about."

Inko began to blush up a storm. "W-Well thank you. F-For both things."

"By the way...could I possibly get a link to that tracker you have on Young Midoriya. I could really use that."

"Hahaha! My sweet boy can get himself in some messes can't he." Both she and All Might began laughing. Izuku just stared at them in bewilderment.

' _What the heck is happening right now?'_

Inko wrapped her robe tighter around her and began walking off. "Well, I'll wait for you two by the truck while you two clean yourselves off from sand."

As Inko walked back up the stairs, Izuku turned to his mentor. "What the hell was that?"

"What was what?"

"That!"

"What?"

"You and her!"

"Who?"

"You and Mom!"

"Whose Mom?"

"My mom!"

"My mom?"

"No! _My _mom!"

"You have a mom?"

"Wh- I-... you're avoiding the conversation aren't you?"

"Yep. Let's head to the car."

"But I-! J-!... fine."

…

Izuku woke up the next morning after having dreams of his mom and All Might exchanging numbers to "keep weekly reports on Young Midoriya's progress."

Oh wait...that wasn't a dream.

His mom was happily humming and skipping around the kitchen, clearly very happy. Izuku had a feeling about what.

"Good Morning Izuku! I'm making pancakes today. But I'm trying to make some pancake art too. I figured with your phone gone you might like these.

She placed down a pancake in front of him what was a perfect resemblance of Yaoyorozu's face.

"What!? But y-you only saw her once from afar! How did you do this!?"

"I pulled up the Festival recordings. Dig in, you have to leave soon."

Midoriya looked down at his Yaoyorozu pancake, and took a bite.

' _What even is my life right now?'_

Izuku missed the Toshinori pancake Inko put on her own plate.


	15. The Internships Begin

"Alright, you all have your suits and your train tickets. I better not hear of any trouble from any of the Pros you intern under, got it. Now go enjoy your weeks."

Class 1-A all began to split up after their teacher's warning. Yaoyorozu, Izuku, Iida, and Uraraka all walking together.

"So Yaomomo, how's it feel to be goin' to work with a top five Pro?" asked Uraraka.

"I must say I'm ecstatic. I can't even begin to imagine how much I can learn from Edgeshot. What about you Midoriya? You're going to be learning from a teacher from All Might's school days; you must be excited."

Midoriya brightened up immediately, "Yeah! Gran Torino was even All Might's homeroom teacher! I've gotta know wh-"

Midoriya was suddenly dragged to the opposite side of their friend group. Now Yaoyorozu and him were on the left with Midoriya at the end, and Uraraka and Iida to their right. Izuku was confused on why Yaoyorozu decided to drag him to the other end, but then saw why.

The group just passed Bakugou on the way to his train. If she didn't move him, Izuku would have probably brushed shoulders with him. Izuku still hasn't spoken to Kacchan since the Festival. Originally it was due to Bakugou taking a sudden lack of interest in him, but now it was something else.

While Izuku was glad that Yaoyorozu had sworn to secrecy on his past, it seemed that she made up for it by being...protective.

Now Midoriya hasn't spoken to Bakugou because Yaoyorozu made sure it didn't happen. Whenever he got somewhat near them she would drag him off or make sure their backs were turned away, making it apparent that she wanted nothing to do with the explosive blonde.

Izuku had told Momo that he would stop considering Bakugou his friend, but it was a whole lot harder than expected. No matter what he did, the nickname "Kacchan" would still slip from his mouth or mind when talking or thinking about him. There was also the problem of inspiration.

Midoriya always had looked to All Might, his Mom, or his friends for a spark of hope or power. But, Katsuki has been that image to Izuku for just as long as All Might has. He couldn't help it. Whenever he was trying to solve something or spar in class, he always thought of "What would Kacchan do?" Or something of that matter.

Not that he told Yaoyorozu any of that. She already had a bad taste in her mouth about Bakugou as it is. He felt it best to just keep it quiet for now. For now, he would just do his best to call Kacchan by his real name when she was around.

Uraraka and Iida shrugged off the action as staying out of Bakugou's way as many in class did. Iida then looked up at the train sign.

"This is my train. Good luck on your internships."

Just as he was about to walk away, Izuku stopped him. "Iida! Wait!"

Izuku had been bothered by Iida's behavior in the past week. He had been... different. Of course after what happened to his brother, they expected a lot from him. But, he seemed to give off an... impassive vibe. He would give off extremely fake smiles once in a while, but his eyes lacked any emotions at all.

Izuku knew he couldn't let Iida go off alone without saying something.

"Iida...y-you know that we're here for you right. We're your friends and...just know you can talk to us."

All Iida did was give off another fake smile, and say, "Yes. Of course."

And he was off. Midoriya would later regret not trying harder to get through to Iida.

…

To say that Kyouka Jirou was conflicted was putting it lightly. She was sitting on her train, waiting for departure. Ever since the USJ attack, she had been having strange thoughts about a certain Creation Quirk user. At first, it was just small things.

She would look at Yaoyorozu and inwardly compliment her. Things like " She looks really nice today" or " She's so smart". It then turned into worrying about what Yaoyorozu would think of something she did. She wanted to impress her all of the time. Then it evolved into comparisons between Momo and others. She would watch someone do something and almost immediately think of how Yaoyorozu could do it better.

The compliments and small little things she would notice about Momo intensified over the days and weeks. All adding up to the Sports Festival. Kyouka knew Yaoyorozu would be feeling bad about her loss back then, she tried to look for her but couldn't find her anywhere.

... Apparently Midoriya had far better searching skills then she did.

When they came back, it was…weird. As far as Jirou knew, Midoriya and Yaomomo had hardly ever spoken to one another. Yet, as soon as they came back to the stands all of a sudden they were buddy-buddy with one another.

Yaoyorozu was always so concerned over him and jumping at any chance to be with him.

At the time, Jirou had no idea why it made her want to vomit. But…

...then the dreams started.

She started to have… vivid dreams about Momo. Many nights after the festival she would wake up in a sweat and in utter confusion. She had thought she had never really had a crush on anyone before. But after those dreams, she realized that she has never actually evenlooked at a guy before. She realized that every single time she gave some sort of glance or compliment at another human being, they were of the same sex.

The night she made that epiphany, she didn't get a single wink of sleep for the next 36 hours.

She would look at all of her band posters and look at the male players and feel absolutely nothing. But, all of the female players she kept looking at.

Accepting that was... odd. After quirks came around, people kind of stopped caring about looks, sexuality, etc. Every single person was just too odd, and quirks affected people in many different ways, not just physical. Judgement on that kind of stuff, at least in Japan, was just thrown to the wayside.

However, to realize something like that about yourself was still a big thing. It was something you needed to adjust to, to completely readjust how you feel in your own skin. She's still a little lost...okay a lot lost, but she at least knows one thing.

'I, Kyouka Jirou, am completely infatuated with one Momo Yaoyorozu.'

She has to repeat that to herself multiple times a day. She felt that if she didn't, she would fall back into denying it and running away from it. Jirou wanted to just accept it now, and have it hurt less later when Momo comes to her for advice when she finally realizes she's fallen for the Green Mop.

Kyouka knew she wasn't alone in this. She had seen the way Uraraka has been acting lately. It seemed however, that Uraraka took the "Deny Deny Deny" route. Every glance at Midoriya would send her eyes shooting off to every other direction. She runs away from him half of the time. Uraraka seemed to be trying to deny it herself. Kyouka knew she would have to talk to her at some point. She was the only one right now who really understood. Uraraka was feeling everything she was right now.

' Well, ya know...except the gay stuff.'

The Rocker Girl looked out her window as the train began to move. She could see Midoriya and Momo talking to one another. Yaoyorozu was giggling and twirling her front bang like a cliché schoolgirl at Midoriya.

'Blechk, gross.'

Jealousy sucked.

Yaoyorozu caught eyes with Jirou, smiled, and waved goodbye. Her flawless face smiling brightly at Kyouka. Kyouka waved back, stupid grin rising on her face.

' ...Fuck.'

…

(A Few Hours Later: Yamanashi Prefecture)

Midoriya looked at the rundown building where apparently Gran Torino lived.

' Huh, Pro's are usually payed really well and if this guy taught All Might I figured he have some kind of facility or something.'

Midoriya walked up the front steps of the building and knocked on the door. "Um... Gran Torino! I-I'm Izuku Midoriya from the hero course! I'm here for my internship!"

The door slowly crept open to reveal no one. Izuku peeked his head into the apartment to see if he could find or hear someone. He looked down and saw a large red splatter on the ground. In that pool of crimson and what seemed to be intestines was and old man in a white and yellow costume.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH! HE'S DEAD!"

Suddenly Gran Torino's head shot up, "Hey-O!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH! HE'S ALIVE!"

The Retired Pro hobbled up and Izuku went to help him, "Drat! My ketchup covered sausages! So clumsy of me to drop them. And who are you?"

"I-I'm Izuku Midoriya, from the Hero Course."

"...who?"

' Oh no. This guy has completely lost it. I knew he'd be old, but if he can't even remember he sent out his request form, or even be worried about a stranger in his house. I should tell All Might.'

Izuku turned around and headed for the door, "I'm sorry but I have to make a quick phone ca-"

"Put on your suit and hit me with all you got kid. I wanna know how much you can control One For All."

Midoriya was confused by the sudden change in attitude, but couldn't afford distractions.

"Listen. All Might doesn't have much time left, and I have to be ready to someday fight his worst enemy. I'm sorry but I can't waste my time here. I have to go."

As Izuku reached for the door handle, he heard what sounded like a shot from an air cannon. He turned to see a white and yellow blur zipping around the room, launching off of multiple points. He could barely follow Gran Torino until he saw the blur come right for him.

In a split second of instinct, Full Cowl spread throughout his body and he slid under Gran Torino to the other side of the room. Gran Torino bounced off of the door and landed on the ground.

"Heheh! Not bad kid! You've even already improved from the Sports Festival. Maybe Toshinori had good judgement for once. Now out on your costume so I can really come at you."

At this point, Midoriya was completely lost. Everything was moving so fast he could hardly keep up. But with the look in Gran Torino's eyes, Midoriya figured it would be best to do as he was told.

He opened up his suitcase and put on her new costume. Black accents, a metal mouth guard, upgraded padding, gloves, etc.

' The Support Course really outdid themselves this time! This looks great!'

Midoriya turned back to Gran Torino.

"Nice costume. Now you definitely know how to regulate One For All, but what's your limit you can use. Toshinori was able to pick it up instantly, but you clearly can't."

"I can use 5% of my quirk without hurting myself."

"5%? If you just learned how to control your power I'd accept that but you seemed pretty practiced with your new skills. Is 5% really how high you can go without feeling any pain?"

"Well I-" Midoriya stopped for a second and thought. 'I've never actually tried to go past 5% besides my Full Power.'

It was either 5% or 100%, he had never actually tried in between.

"I-I've never actually g-gone beyond Five percent except for my all out hits."

"Wait, so your telling me that you just assumed 5% was your maximum? Who even told you five was your max?"

Midoriya rubbed the back of his head, "W-Well, it was All M-"

"Stop! Don't finish that. * Sigh* Toshinori still can't teach to save his life can he? I guess it's my job now. Charge up 5%."

Izuku bent his knees and cocked his arms to his side. '5%! Full Cowling!'

His green lightning arced around him, his skin glowing near white.

"Good. Now try to go just a little bit higher, just 6%."

Izuku lifted his power just a tad higher...and he felt fine. "Woah."

"Now higher."

Izuku went to 7%, and felt normal.

"Higher!"

He went to 8%, and started to feel tingly.

"Higher!"

Izuku hit 9% and his body started to sting. "I-I think this is it! When I hit nine percent my body starts to hurt!"

Gran Torino chuckled, "Still a pretty low percent, but it could make a major difference in a fight. Now, why do you think you never tried to go past your limit?"

"Well, I guess I just never thought about it. After All Might said th-"

* Thwack*

Midoriya really needed to learn why old people like to hit him.

"First of all, stop trying to imitate Toshinori! Not everything he says is law or fact. Be your own hero, or you're gonna go nowhere. Second, what I was looking for is your lack of confidence."

Midoriya raised an eyebrow at that. "What do you mean?"

"I can see it in your body language noobie. Always looking down, terrible posture, shoulders tightly up. You basically painted the entire picture for me. You didn't believe in yourself, so you figured you couldn't do any better than 5%. Don't underestimate yourself. Toshinori may be a bit of a dunderhead at times, but he has to have chosen you for a reason."

Midoriya couldn't exactly say he was wrong. Looking back, whenever he thought about his power limit, he was always disappointed in himself that he couldn't use more power. But, he never actually tried to go past 5%. He had spent so much time wallowing in his own self disappointment that he never even thought that he could do better.

' All Might would be so disappointed if he knew. I've wasted so much time feeling sorry for myself when I could have been doing so much more. What would Yaoyorozu think? What's wrong with me? I'm so stu-'

*Thwack*

"Stop! Your doing it again! And now you're muttering about it too!"

"Right right! Crap, I'm sorry!"

Gran Torino sighed, "Geez Noobie, can you not even think of one single positive thought about yourself? I don't who Yaoyorozu is, but if they make you more positive then keep thinking about ' , we'll work on that later. For now, let's see how you handle your new power. You ready Noobie?"

Midoriya closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He engraved into his mind that he wouldn't disappoint All Might, his Mom, Yaoyorozu, or himself again. He needed to get a grip, or else he would fail at being All Might's successor.

He charged himself up to 8%, already feeling the difference in power. His eyes lit up, his cyan lightning more intense than before.

"Come at me!"

…

(Same Time: Tokyo. Edgeshot Hero Agency)

Yaoyorozu was in the elevator to the top floor of Edgeshot's agency. She was almost shaking with anticipation. She was actually going to prove herself to a top pro. So many teachings she can learn from. The doors opened, ready to guide her to her future...

...of a kunai being thrown at her face.

"AH!" She yelped and duck down, the kunai embedding itself into the elevator wall. She looked back into the room to see a cloaked figure charging at her, katana at the ready.

Yaoyorozu dived rolled away from the swing, but the assailant kept swinging. She was only just managing to dodge. Yaoyorozu created a shield when she ran out of room to run, but the figure kicked her shield, knocking her to the ground.

Backed against the wall, her mind stopped.

' What do I do!? What do I create!? I can't think I can't think what I dowhatdoIdowhatdoIdo!'

It was too late. The Cloaked figure pinned her, their foot to her neck, and then slashed down, stopping millimeters from her face.

"It seems you have more to learn than I thought."

Yaoyorozu opened her eyes. The removed their cloak to reveal the Pro Hero: Edgeshot. He sheathed his katana and helped her up.

"Alright, come on. Let's go have some tea."

With that, he walked away like nothing ever happened. Yaoyorozu was standing still, completely frazzled.

"W-What...what? What was that!?"

"Please, no screaming in the dojo. All will be explained. Please follow me."

Momo shakily followed Edgeshot into another room with a classic Japanese style sitting area. They sat down on cushions across from one another. Edgeshot spoke as he poured the tea.

"Now, I'm sure you are wondering why I attacked you. Well, it actually relates to why I decided to recruit you. Your performance in the Festival."

"But, I didn't perform well at all!"

"Exactly."

Now Momo was really confused. Someone wanted to recruit her because she was bad? Edgeshot gave her tea, and elaborated.

"What I saw out there, was a girl with mountains of amazing potential. But, she cracked under pressure. I attacked you to see what you would do in a sudden crisis situation. Clearly it didn't pan out too well, and you have more to learn than I thought."

"You want to help me?"

"Well, I am a Pro Hero after all. It's kind of what I do. Now from your grades I can tell you are a smart girl. Tell me, do you know what a shinobi is?"

"Well yes, you are one. A shinobi is a ninja."

Edgeshot stood up and began to pace in front of her. "Correct. But, a shinobi is much more than someone who can hide in the shadows and use a sword...even though that is really cool."

Edgeshot pulled out a small kunai and tossed it above his head. Momo gasped and tried to grab at it, but Edgeshot just let it fall and miss his body my mere inches.

"A shinobi is mentally disciplined for panic. No matter the stakes, the pressure, or the foe, a shinobi never never panics. For it they panic, they have already lost. If they panic, everything they protect will be lost. They must keep a level head at all times. Even at Death's door. That is your first lesson for the day."

"But, I can't just learn how to do that in a day, or even a week!"

"Well no, you can't. But we'll make a start. Follow me."

The two walked over to a large sliding door and opened it to reveal an old style dojo. Edgeshot walked over to a shelf and pulled off a box. He opened it to reveal a two dozen sets of silver shuriken.

"Stand up against that wall over there Miss Yaoyorozu."

Momo did what she was told and put her back to the wall.

"I'm going to throw these around you. I want you to know I am not going to hit you. You need to first lessen your fear against something you know won't hurt you. It's human nature to fear and flinch at dangerous things, even if you know you are safe. You need to stay level-headed at this, or you won't be able to keep calm in real life attacks. Now slowly breath, in and out. Don't focus on the shuriken. Only focus on me. Know that I won't hurt you."

Edgeshot brought back his arm, ready to throw…

...but then he really looked at Yaoyorozu.

She was clearly breathing very unevenly and fast. She was sweating profusely, eyes closed, and shaking. Maybe he needed another approach. He stood back up and sighed.

"Have you ever heard the story of 'The One-Armed Wolf'?."

Momo opened one eye, "N-No."

"There was once a great story of a shinobi named 'Wolf' who lost his arm protecting the prince of his land. When the prince was kidnapped after his failure, he gained a prosthetic arm and he fought through countless Samurai, mythical creatures, and gods just to get the prince back and fulfill their mission. No matter what Wolf fought, he never panicked, or shyed away, or felt fear. For he knew he couldn't let the one he cared for down."

"Wow. Is any of that based on a true story?"

"No. But, it was a kick-ass video game."

Momo felt a little disappointed at that.

"But anyway, maybe that's what you need. Who do you see when you want to feel confident? Who spurs you forward more than anyone? Who do you want to protect?"

Yaoyorozu thought for a moment. She figured her parents or maybe Kyouka would come to mind. But all she could envision was emerald eyes, Greenish black hair, and freckles.

"Do you have them in mind?"

"Yes."

Edgeshot pulled back his arm.

"Good. Now stay still."

Momo steeled herself, and Edgeshot threw.

…

(Same Time: Kamino Ward)

"Kurogiri, send our hopefully new friend a message. I think it's time we have a little talk with the Hero Killer."

"Right away Shigaraki."


	16. Training

"Alright, I think it's time for the next lesson. Come here."

Edgeshot was impressed. Yaoyorozu was standing against the wall with an outline of shurikens around her. She was clearly still a little scared. She would flinch, but it was nowhere near as bad as an hour ago. After about 13 shuriken she seemed to get the picture that she wouldn't get hit.

'_So, a fast learner. Good.'_

Momo eased herself off of the wall, careful not to catch herself on the blades. She walked over to the center of the room and stood in front of Edgeshot.

"Change into your hero costume. I think we should work on your quick thinking in combat."

"Yes sir!" Momo smiled.

Edgeshot watched go over to her briefcase and pull out a highly revealing unitard, a belt, boots...and absolutely nothing else.

"Okay! Nevermind! I'm not ending up with false accusations like Tenta-Claw did last year. Just put on some workout gear or something."

"Oh, um...okay."

Yaoyorozu left the room with her suitcases and came back in a green sports tank top, black joggers, and white tennis shoes.

"Much better. Now bend your knees a bit, but keep them firm. Keep your elbows up, dominant hand near the face, the other out about a foot and a half from your body."

Momo did as she was told.

"Your quirk has a lot to do with the body, which means you have probably studied it a lot. What do you know about pressure points?"

"Not very much sir."

"Call me Sensei. Alright then, easiest pressure point to attack...the groin."

Momo chuckled, '_I wonder how Midoriya is doing with his training?'_

…

Midoriya owed Gran Torino a new microwave...and picture frame...and table...and window...and wall.

So, Izuku maybe wasn't use to his new speed just yet and kept overshooting things. Who would have thought a 3% increase would make such a difference.

"Oh my god kid, what have you done to my apartment!?"

Midoriya rubbed the back of his head, "I...w-wanted to get some training done while you were gone."

"All I did was go to the bathroom!"

"...for an hour?"

"I'M OLD! DON'T JUDGE ME!"

*_Meow* _Both looked down to see two dirty looking cats walk by. Midoriya awkwardly smiled, "Well at least your cats are okay."

"I don't own any cats!" Gran Torino pointed to the broken window where alley cats were using it as a doorway into the apartment.

"...oh."

…

(Several Hours later: Tokyo)

Momo's body was throbbing. Edgeshot felt it was important to have all of the pressure points tested on her to make sure she gets a feel of _exactly _where they were located.

She couldn't deny it was helpful.

It was currently midnight. They had been training for 9 hours. They had gone over multiple hand to hand exercises of Ninjutsu. From hand to hand, to weapons, to stealth. It felt weird not being able to hear her own footsteps. Now they were dealing with defense against weapons.

*_Slash*_

_*Clap*_

Yaoyorozu caught Edgeshot's blade between her palms, pushing against him.

"Good! Very good! Now what next!?"

Yaoyorozu faltered. '_Next!? Uh- u-um a headbutt? No! Hit the Du Bi pressure points! Maybe!?'_

The next thing Momo knew, she was on the ground, sword to her throat.

"You've improved your reaction time, but after that you completely fall apart." Edgeshot helped her up. " We're done for the day. Go take a shower. Your room is down the hall and to the left. When you're done come back here."

Yaoyorozu bowed down, "Yes Sensei."

Momo walked to her room dejected. Every single combat exercise she would crash and burn after making her first move. Every plan she would try and formulate in her head she would then second guess it and try to come up with a new one.

'_That was my first chance to prove myself and I messed it all up. I need to do better during the week.'_

She found her room, peeled off her sweat soaked clothes, and hopped into the shower.

…

Gran Torino had to admit that the Noobie was a quick thinker, and he was definitely quick on his feet. Sorahiko could hardly keep up with the kid. He was essentially just a ball of green light zooming throughout the apartment. He had already nearly perfected Sorahiko's style of bouncing off the walls.

His new power boost seemed to invigorate him. Izuku never seemed to get tired. He loved his new speed; he felt like he could give Iida a good run for his money now.

"Okay Noobie, I think that's enough for the day. It's late enough as it is. I hope you don't mind the couch, I don't have any spare rooms."

"Oh that's perfectly fine with me. Thanks you so much Gran Torino."

"No problem. The shower is in the room at the end of the hall. Goodnight kid. We'll start up again tomorrow."

Midoriya watched Gran Torino walk down the hall into his room and close the door.

*_Brrrrt* *Brrrrt*_

Izuku pulled out his phone to see Yaoyorozu calling him.

*_Click*_

"H-Hey Yaoyorozu.

"Good Evening Midoriya. How's your internship going?"

"It's actually going really well! I-I brought my power up to 8%! Can you believe it!?"

"That's amazing Midoriya! I- Oh! Whoops. Hold on a second."

Midoriya's phone began to make a muffled sound.

"Sorry, I got some water on my phone since I just left the shower."

Izuku's brain then betrayed/gifted him by crafting images of Yaoyorozu in the shower...long black hair matted down by water...hot water running down her nake-

'_NO! NONONONONO! NO TEENAGE BRAIN! YOU STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!'_

"Midoriya? Hello?"

Izuku slammed his head down onto the kitchen counter to stop his train of thought. "S-Sorry! Uh, s-so how's y-your internship going?"

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I...I feel like I blew my first impression. Every combat exercise we did I would completely fumble. I just-"

"Yaoyorozu, what have you learned today?"

Momo ceased talking at his question. "W-...What?"

"What has he taught you today?"

"Well…he taught me about level-headedness and how to calm down a little bit. He taught me a multitude of Ninjutsu forms, pressure points, and how to silence your footsteps and vanish from your opponents view. Why do you ask?"

"W-Well, if he taught you all of that in just a day and you're not v-very good at it, that just means you need to get better. Y-You seem very desperate and impatient with yourself. Like, you want to be better really fast, and then you feel frustrated when you can't. You are improving, you just can't see how amazing you really are.

Yaoyorozu knew he was right, but it was just so... infuriating having that feeling like you're not enough. "You're... you're right. I-I want to prove myself. I don't want to be a pushover like at the Festival. I don't want to be just a girl who got recommended into the school. A girl who didn't earn anything! Edgeshot took me in to help me, but I feel like I'm wasting his time. Do you...do you know what it feels like to not feel like you're enough?"

Midoriya could hear her voice start to rise. She was venting out her anger for herself, and sadly Izuku was the only one around to take it for her.

"Literally every second of everyday. I mean look at me Yaoyorozu. I didn't earn all that much, but look at you. Yaoyorozu I-"

Yaoyorozu stopped him, "But why!? You lived most of your life quirkless! You went through Hell and back to get through the days and obtain your quirk! You took the test for U.A! You've worked harder than anyone else has, and you still don't think you deserve it! Don't you dare sit there and act like you're lesser than me! Tell me! Tell me why someone like you has such a high opinion of me!"

Izuku saw the problem with his situation. This was a debate between two people who didn't think much of themselves. Both sides were trying to be below the other. It was a fight neither could win, nor should win.

"I...I-I just-"

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I'm just angry I just...I gotta go. Edgeshot is waiting for me. I'm sorry."

"Yaoyorozu wait-"

*_Click*_

Izuku sighed and sat down on the couch, rubbing his forehead. She was succumbing to what he suffers through as well. No matter how much you improve or start to feel better about yourself, your mind eventually finds something to tear itself down again. It was an extremely hard loop to break, but he'd have to break it somehow.

He wanted to try and call back, but he knows she won't pick up. She was not only frustrated with herself, but with him too. She was right. Not about all the things she said about herself, but about him. He puts everyone else on a higher pedestal. She has worked so hard to help him, but unlike her, he hasn't budged an inch.

He was still the same Downer Midoriya. He hated it, but it was engraved into his brain. It wasn't fully locked into Momo's yet. So for now, she was top priority. Midoriya took his thoughts with him to the shower.

...where Yaoyorozu just came out of. Naked.

'_Maybe I should take a cold shower tonight.'_

…

_'I yelled at him! What is wrong with me!? He just wanted to help, per usual, and I just threw it back in his face!'_

Yaoyorozu was beating herself up in the hallway outside her room. Her hair was down, and she was dressed in a purple baggy t-shirt, and dark green sweatpants. She was on her way back to the main dojo to see Edgeshot again like he asked.

As she entered, she saw Edgeshot dressed in a dark gray Yukata (Does he live here?)…but he still had a mask on.

"You really like wearing that mask."

"And you really like the color green. Favorite color?"

"As of recently, yes."

Momo sat down on the cushion in front of Edgeshot. "Before we turn in for the night, I just wanted to say I was highly pleased with your performance today."

Yaoyorozu's eyes went wide, "But...why? I fell apart during the combat lessons."

"Yes, as expected. It's your first day, of course you're going to fail a lot. But, you mostly passed the fear test, and you still got a decent grasp of everything taught to you. Even if you still need work. Does that not please you?"

"Well...I don't know."

"When a shinobi doesn't know something, they learn it. Also, that applies to most everyone. So, aren't you happy that for the first day you impressed your teacher and learned a multitude of new things."

"I guess. I mean yes. Yes Sensei."

Edgeshot questioningly raised an eyebrow at her. "Yaoyorozu, what was it that you drew confidence from in your first lesson?"

"To be honest, my friend Midoriya."

"Ah, the 'winner' of the Sports Festival. Are you involved with him?"

"N-No Sensei. He's just very inspiring," Momo said blushing.

"Well, either way continue to draw from him. He seems to work for you. But, know this. It can't last forever. Someday, you will need to draw confidence and inspiration from yourself. Others cannot always be there. Now get some rest. We ran late today so enjoy sleeping in. We'll start fresh tomorrow."

Momo stood and bowed. "Thank you Sensei."

*_DING*_

Edgeshot pulled out a small holographic pager and looked at the notification. "Good news. Our first patrol this week will be the day after tomorrow."

"Wonderful. But, why specifically then Sensei?"

"You see, Pro Hero: Endeavor can sometimes be a little...rowdy. After knowing him for so long, I sometimes keep an eye on him and patrol the same areas. Don't tell him that by the way. So we'll be going to Hosu City for patrol."

"Okay then. Goodnight Sensei." Yaoyorozu turned to walk away.

"Oh! And Yaoyorozu, one more thing. Forgive me if I'm remembering wrong, but Midoriya's hair and eyes are green correct?"

"Yes. Why?"

Edgeshot chuckled, "Hehe, no reason."


	17. The Hero Killer: Stain

(3rd Day of the Internships)

Edgeshot and Yaoyorozu sat in a Private Hero Train Cabin eating lunch on their way to Hosu City. The 2nd day of the internship actually went well for Yaoyorozu. She had gotten better at her combat exercises, but still lacked in some areas.

For starters, her quick-thinking and confidence in her plans were still at an all time low. Edgeshot had been putting her to random tests. At any given time of the day he would cause a sudden ambush of some kind, test her reflexes, and see what she could come up with to get out of the scenario. She was-

"Think fast!"

Momo caught the thrown chopsticks between her fingers, but then Edgeshot grabbed her wrist and began pushing them towards her neck as if the chopsticks were a knife. And once again, Momo's brain was uncooperative as the wooden utensils slowly pressed against her throat.

Edgeshot let go and backed off, "Good reflexes. Bad ending."

*Sigh* "Sorry. I'm really trying but my brain just won't cooperate. I pick out every problem or bad possibility that could happen and I can't decide."

"I think I know what you need. You need to be in a true Pro Hero situation. You and someone else's life must be in life threatening danger. When not only your life's on the line, but someone else's as well, then you can't decide. You must just do. You must launch into action immediately without thought so you can save someone."

Momo looked out the window, ' Just like Midoriya.'

"Maybe not as reckless as him, but whatever floats your boat."

Yaoyorozu did a double take. "Did...did I say that out loud?"

"You muttered it, yeah."

"I see. Midoriya's habits seem to be rubbing off on me," said taking a bite of rice. She still hasn't apologized to Midoriya yet. At least not an apology he deserved. She was too afraid of what would happen. Even though she knew Midoriya would never be truly angry with her, what if he decided to distance himself. She was just... scared.

Edgeshot smirked and said, "Well that tends to happen with loved ones."

Momo then began to choke on her food.

"Why * cough* ack does everyon* cough* make the * cough* assumption that were dating!?"

"I didn't. 'Loved ones' can mean family and friends. You made that connection."

"Well...I, uh...no. I'm sorry but no. It's not like that. It can't be."

Edgeshot raised an eyebrow, "And why not?"

Momo began to twirl her front bang, "Even if I did...have feelings...for him. Midoriya and I only just got to know each other a couple weeks ago, and hero work is so demanding. Besides, I cause him too much trouble as it is. He deserves better than that."

"Are you sure this is still hypothetical?"

"Y-...yes."

*Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at Hosu Central Station. Please exit the train cars if this is your stop.*

Edgeshot sighed and stood up . "Yaoyorozu, one of the first things a shinobi must do is clear their mind of all wary and doubt. If you can't sort out the feelings right in front of you, right now, then you'll never sort them out in a fight. Come on, suit up at one of the restrooms. And wear the cloak I gave you with it. No exceptions. I'm not taking any chances with your regular costume."

Edgeshot left the compartment, leaving behind a mind-jumbled Momo.

' It's...it's not it. I... there's no point in even considering it. I can't even be a good hero right now, much less a good girlfriend...if I did have feelings for him that is.

Momo was beginning to realize she also picked up being a bad liar from Midoriya.

…

"You know, that cloak works on you. You should keep it." Edgeshot and Yaoyorozu were now atop a small building overlooking the town square. People,Small shops, and kiosks everywhere over the small area.

"Thank you Sensei, but black isn't really a part of my color scheme," Momo said readjusting the silver clasp of her hooded cloak.

"Then change the color. Send in an order to your Support Studio. It's good to have some change once in awhile. Besides it covers you up, and it the black will help with stealth. Although, if you really want to change the color to your regular scheme, then you better keep practicing. The colors a master shinobi wears doesn't matter, for all they need to disappear are the shadows and the ignorance of their foe. But, with where you're at now, you'd stand out like Endeavor in a children's daycare."

"I heard that!"

The Shinobi Hero and his new disciple both turned to see the flameo-mustacheo #2 Hero and his son approach them. "Speak of the devil."

"What are you doing here Edgeshot? I thought you didn't patrol these hours."

"Oh wow, I guess I messed up the time. What a total and complete coincidence! But, since you're here how about we patrol the same routes? That way we won't have to do any double checking."

Endeavor scoffed, immediately ready to deny him. But, then looked to be reconsidering. "Fine. Saves me the time anyway. But I expect you to keep your brat in line. I've had a run in with her before, and I'd like to keep somewhat calm today. I already have to deal with Shoto's teenage angst."

"Sounds fine to me. Come on, let's go over the routes."

As the two Pros began to talk, Yaoyorozu approached Todoroki. "It's good to see you Todoroki. With Iida in the city too, it seems we could form a decent team."

"My Old Man is hardly agreeing to this team up. Adding more people might give him an aneurysm." The two continued small talk until the two Pros got their attention.

"Alright, come on you two. It's time for patrols."

…

(Several hours later)

"It's just a shame, isn't it Kurogiri."

The two villains stood upon a building overlooking a sunset-bathed Hosu City, the new home of the Hero Killer.

"What is, Shigaraki?"

Shigaraki laughed, "The Hero Killer and I just can't agree on a basic level. He just annoys me. The potential destruction we could have caused together. Oh well, I guess this is what he gets for thinking he can get away with stabbing me."

He turned to Kurogiri, "Bring out the Nomus."

"As you wish."

A shadowed swirl began to form below them.

"I'll kill you Hero Killer. If it's what I desire, then I will get it. Your pride. Your honor. To hell with it. You're not even a boss, and I've just gotten three new players. Level…"

Three monstrosities emerged from the portal. All of varying size and grotesque features, except for all having an exposed brain.

"Start."

…

(Near Hosu)

Izuku sat on his evening train to Hosu with Gran Torino. The latter decided today would be a good day to go out on a patrol. The day prior had been very instructive. Sorahiko had decided his apartment had suffered enough and took Izuku outside to an old running track.

With Izuku not restricted by the small apartment, he was finally free to truly test his new speed. 5% had been decently fast, but really hopping was the best way to get around. This time however, Izuku felt his power go into overdrive.

One would think a 5 to 8% jump wouldn't make any noticeable difference, but it DEFINITELY did. Izuku had never felt a rush like that before. The first time he ever used his quirk was exhilarating, but painful.

Yesterday was the first time he was using his power, and he actually felt powerful. He didn't feel like a glass canon, or a slow and weak hitter. He felt (and looked) like a streak of light and electricity rushing around and destroying the mannequins Gran Torino set up like it was nothing.

He even got a little risky and jumped to 10 percent for bit. He went to sleep extremely sore because of it, but he felt it was worth it to just to feel what it was like. He felt even more excited to be able to one day reach full power. He just hopes he doesn't become power hungry.

"Hey look! That building over there exploded!"

Izuku was pulled out of his train of thought by that. All of the people on the train moved to the left side of the train car to look out the window. Izuku and Torino both looked out too. At first they saw a part of the city set ablaze, but then they saw what seemed to be a giant man with wings fly out of the fire…

...and come straight for them.

Gran Torino whipped around to the other passengers, "EVERYONE GET BA-"

* CRASH*

The next thing Izuku knew, the side of the train car was ripped off to reveal a giant gray…

' Nomu!?'

The nomu was immediately launched off of the train by Gran Torino. "Kid! You stay put, you hear me!?" With that, Sorahiko jumped away into the city.

Izuku, being Izuku, knew staying put and not helping wasn't an option. He hopped down from the train, and took off into the city.

"Full Cowling 8%!"

Izuku shot off into the city, shooting through the streets like a bullet. ' Iida's internship is here! He's likely at the center of all this with his Pro.'

Midoriya reached the point of chaos to see multiple Nomus destroying the city. Fires were everywhere and many Pros were trying to stop them.

' This is insane! There's more than one Nomu!? Are they related somehow?'

" IIDA! WHERE DID YOU GO!?"

Izuku turned his head to see the Pro Hero Manuel shouting Iida's name. Midoriya was thrown for a loop.

' Iida ran off? The Rule Follower ran away from his Pro!? What's going on? Why would he-'

'The Pro Hero Ingenium was severely injured in an attack against the infamous Hero Killer. He was found in a back alley in Hosu City. The Hero Killer's whereabouts are still unknown. We will k-'

Izuku remembered.

' No...Iida surely you didn't? You…'

Izuku launched himself back into the streets, taking every back alley and dark dead end he could find.

' He has to be either around point zero of all of this, or he's around the Hero Agencies. The Hero Killer couldn't have a part in all of this can he!? Is he working for the League? No, I can't focus on that right now. I have to find Iida before he gets himself killed! I need a backup plan.'

Izuku began to pull out his phone and selected all contacts. He went to his location on his Geo Map and-

"-HERE TO DEFEAT YOU!"

Izuku turned his head to look down the alley and saw Iida get slammed to the ground by the Stain. As Stain was about to shove his sword into Iida's arm, Izuku launched forward.

From Stain's point of view, all he saw was a flash of light in his peripheral, and then a fist slammed into his face, sending him flying deeper into alley tumbling to the ground.

"SMAAAASH!"

He looked up to see another Hero in Training. "Hehe, so another little fake ready to di-"

"Iida! Sir! If you can't move just stay calm! I'm going to save you!

Stain halted at this, ' Okay, this one has some promise.'

Iida stood back up and turned to Midoriya, "What are you doing here Midoriya! Leave! This is my fight!"

Izuku knew Iida wasn't in a good place right now, so he ignored that and sent off his location. He kept his eyes trained on Stain and slowly crept over to the injured hero against the wall. "Sir, you're going to be just fine. I'll get you out of here."

Izuku watched Stain's face slowly turn into a creepy smile, "Tell me, are you here for idiotic reasons like your friends here?"

"All I'm here for is to save my friend, this man, and to make sure you get put away for good!"

Now that Izuku got a good look at Stain, he could only describe him as, what Kacchan would say, "One ugly motherfucker."

Said "Ugly Motherfucker" was now nearly splitting his face with his smile, "Yes! You're exactly what this world needs! A true hero! One who saves lives and defeats villains without want for money and fame! Congratulations, you're not going to die today. It would be a sin to take you from this world. I cannot say the same for your fake of a friend however."

"W-Well, then I guess you're going to have to get through me."

"Hahaha! And you've got a fire in your heart! Perfect! It's a-"

"ENOUGH!"

Both Izuku and Stain looked to Iida after his outburst. He looked to be seething with rage.

"Stain! Stop ignoring me! Midoriya! Leave here immediately! I'm going to avenge my brother alone! I don't need your help! I- GUAAAH!"

* SHINK*

Izuku watched in horror as a throwing knife cut right through Iida's armor and sheathe itself into his right thigh. Izuku ran to Iida's side as he fell over and caught him. He looked to the Hero Killer to see his arm outstretched to where he had thrown.

"I think I've heard just about enough from you. I don't care about you anymore; you're going to die anyway. All I care about now is your friend here."

Izuku sat Iida down, "Don't remove the knife, and try not to move. I know you want to avenge your brother, but this was the dumbest thing you could have ever. I'm not one to talk with how reckless I am, but I know when I need help."

Izuku stood back and charged to 8%, crouching down. ' Please, someone get here fast.'

Izuku shot forward.

…

Yaoyorozu was panicking.

The creature from the USJ attack apparently had family. Edgeshot and Endeavor had told her and Todoroki to stay put in a hospital, and to help with any injured that come in. She felt that this night couldn't get worse.

* zzzt*

Momo pulled her phone out from her belt and saw that Midoriya had sent out his location...in the middle of Hosu.

' No...nononono.'

"Todoroki we have to-!"

She turned to see Todoroki already holding the door open for her, "Come on, let's go save your boyfriend/All Might's son!"

"I'm not his-...What!?"

"Okay I don't really have any proof of that last one but I'm working on it. Let's go!"

…

Stain slashed forward at Izuku, but he completely vanished. Until he saw a spark of light come from below him.

* Thwack*

Stain was suddenly uppercutted by Izuku. Midoriya jumped up while Stain was still stunned in the air and dropped kicked his stomach.

Stain flew back into the wall and bounced off, just barely recovering. He looked up and saw a green light bounce from wall to floor to wall repeatedly all around him.

' So, he's fast.'

*Bam*

*Thoom*

*Crack*

Izuku began using Stain as his new bouncing board, making sure to avoid any blades. After one bounce toward the Hero Killer, he saw Stain suddenly turn around and stab in his direction.

Izuku shot out his hands and flicked, "Air Force Smash!"

Stain was knocked back from the air crashing into him as Midoriya was propelled back onto a wall, recovering and landing back down on the ground.

Iida was utterly floored by Midoriya.

' How... How's he doing this!? Midoriya hasn't even been scratched yet, and his speed has increased dramatically since the Sports Festival. He...he's doing what I can't. I can't even defend myself, much less avenge my brother. I...I have no right to call myself Ingenium.'

Stain was getting irritated. This kid was zipping around and was everywhere like a gnat...if a gnat hit like a truck. He needed a new approach.

Stain looked over to the two "Fakes" sitting against the wall and smiled. Izuku followed Stain's eyes and instantly became aware of his plan.

"NO!"

Stain threw two throwing knives at the injured hero and Iida. Izuku dashed in front of the knives and caught one with each hand.

"HEROIC TO A FAULT!" Stain latched on to Izuku and made a slashed down. Midoriya barely managed to kick Stain off, but not without a small cut on his cheek. Izuku launched forward at Stain once more. He pulled back his fist and thrust his arm forward.

"Sorry kid." Stain licked his blade.

Izuku's fist was inches from Stain's face, but he couldn't move.

"W-...What!?"

"Like I said, heroic to a fault. But that's exactly what I like about you. That's exactly why this society needs you. That's why you're not gonna die today. Sorry about your friend though."

Stain used Midoriya's shoulders to jump off of and advance toward Iida.

"NO!" Midoriya shouted.

Iida tried to stand up, but his leg was burning.

"Time to die you fake her-"

* Twong*

Stain suddenly clotheslined by a metal cable, sending him to the ground. Stain's feet were then frozen to the ground. Rubbing his neck, he looked to see the metal cable attached to a harpoon lodged in the wall. And on the other end was Yaoyorozu wielding the freshly created harpoon gun.

Todoroki's ice crept up Stains body even further. Todoroki walked up to Stain and kept his eyes on him. "I'll watch him, go ahead and check on the others."

Yaoyorozu immediately rushed to Midoriya. "Midoriya are you okay!?" She began to give him a once over; checking his body for any bad injuries.

"I-I don't have injuries besides this cut. But I can't move. He paralyzed me with his quirk. I watched him lick his sword before I became this way. I think he paralyzes you by consuming your blood. Be careful around him, you have a lot of... of...o-pen a-areas," Izuku said looking at Yaoyorozu. For some reason, looking at her in her hero costume now felt...wrong to Midoriya. He had gotten used to seeing her like this, but now...he couldn't stop wanting to look. His eyes just kept glancing everywhere. "I'm sure it'll wear off. Go check in Iida and the other man."

Yaoyorozu reluctantly did as he said. She then began creating medical tape and gauze. Just as she was finishing patching up Iida and the other Pro, there was a crunching noise.

* Crash *

"Guys! Look ou-AAH!"

Yaoyorozu and Iida turned their heads to see Todoroki clutching his arm, which was bleeding pretty badly. Across from him stood Stain, breaking off the last of the ice from his body.

He laughed and flicked his hands backwards.

"Sorry. Hidden blades."

Todoroki stepped down again and shot more ice, but Stain masterfully avoided the mini glaciers. "Not this time!" He licked his hidden blade and Todoroki stopped moving.

"D-Damn it. He got me."

Stain landed down in front of the teens, and continued his assault. He jumped toward Yaoyorozu to take out the last of the competition.

* Clamp*

To Stain's surprise, Yaoyorozu caught the blade between her palms. ' All of my friends can't fight! I-I have to do something. I have to save them. I...I...I can't think...I'

She looked over to Midoriya, who was still frozen. She could see the desperation in his eyes to move. To save her. His life was on the line, and only she could save him. All of their lives were in her hands at this moment. She couldn't think. She just had to act.

Yaoyorozu turned back to Stain and created a knight's helmet around her head, and head-butted the Hero Killer, breaking his...nose? Slits? Nose.

Stain stumbled back, holding his face. "Stupid gi-" Stain looked back to see Yaoyorozu had disappeared. He looked around everywhere, but she was nowhere to be seen. He started to slowly walk backwards, always turning just in case she tried to jump hi-

* Crack*

The Hero Killer was hit in the back of the head by a metal staff. He growled and turned around to see Yaoyorozu emerge from the shadows, her cloak shrouding her body. She pulled down the hood and created a katana for her other hand.

' Okay Momo. Just keep going. Just do.'

Iida from the sidelines was still feeling ashamed. ' All of my friends are helping me, and I can't even fight. I...I…'

"Iida!"

Tenya looked up to Todoroki, "Stop just standing there. Do you really want to avenge your brother? Then do it the right way and help Yaoyorozu. Help be a hero! Be the hero your brother wanted you to be!"

"Please."

Iida then turned to Midoriya at his words. He was clearly working overdrive to move. His body was shaking, so maybe it was wearing off now. "Please Iida...help Yaoyorozu. Please don't let her die. She can't do it by herself; none of us can! Fight Iida!"

Iida looked back at the fight at hand. Yaoyorozu couldn't keep up with a far more skilled swordsman. She was losing. They clashed swords again and Momo tried to sweep his legs with her staff, but he stepped down on it. Stain Twisted her arm and cut her forearm. He was going to lick the blade.

Iida's mind kick-started, his engines exploding to life. He could see all the memories of his brother. How he was a true and honorable hero. How ashamed he would be of his actions today. He had to make it up to his brother and friends. He sped off towards Stain, and roundhoused his torso. The Hero Killer once again was sent flying.

"I cannot allow you to hurt anyone else villain. I am Ingenium! And tonight, you go behind bars."

Stain groaned, "I'm getting really sick of you Fake. I-"

"SMAAASH!"

* SLAM*

And ONCE AGAIN Stain goes flying.

"CAN I JUST FINISH ONE DAMN SENTENCE TONIGHT!?"

Izuku, finally able to move, stood lined up with Iida and Yaoyorozu. "I think you've said enough. Todoroki, are you able to move yet?"

"I'm getting some feeling back in my feet. But besides that, no."

"Good. You're feet are all we need. Keep that ice coming okay."

"On it."

Midoriya looked back to the other two, "I think Todoroki's paralysis is lasting longer because of blood type. I can't be certain but it's all I got. My blood type is O. What about you two?"

"A" Iida said.

"AB" said Momo.

"Okay, if mine lasted so little time, then it must go in descending order from O to B. That means Iida, you and I will get in close. Our types last less time. Momo, I need you to keep up suppressive fire. We need to keep him distracted. We have to end this now."

"On it." Both said simultaneously.

"Todoroki now!"

Ice shot out from Todoroki's foot. Glaciers shooting up all around Stain. While he was dodging the ice, Iida and Midoriya executed their speedster attack. Midoriya was breaking the ice the Hero Killer was standing on to get him off balance and Iida was using his engines to swirl all around him. All while simultaneously getting in shots at Stain. Stain was managing to dodge a decent amount of their attacks, but so were they.

Iida tried to ax kick the Hero Killer but he backfliped away. Before he could get proper footing on the glacier, he saw something in the corner of his eye coming at him. He deflected the object, which turned out to be a shuriken. Stain looked to the ground to see Yaoyorozu creating multiple and throwing.

Momo knew a lot were missing. She had hardly any practice with the shuriken, she can't use them properly.

'Come on Momo think! I need something I can actually use to help them. Iida could die up there! Midoriya could die up there!'

That spurred Momo into thinking of something she had never used before.

Up on the ice, Stain kicked Iida down onto the ground, and Midoriya was thrown to the side. Stain jumped up to stab down on Iida.

* BANG*

An extreme pain shot through Stains side. He looked down to see his side already turning purple. He picked up the object that hit him from the floor.

' Rubber bullets?'

*BANG*

Stain sliced through the next one coming towards him. He looked down the alley to see Yaoyorozu holding a sniper rifle. Magazines of rubber riot bullets coming out of her leg. She cocked the charging handle once more.

* Cha-chink*

And kept firing.

* BANG* *Cha-chink* *BANG *Cha-chink*

Stain kept trying to block the bullets but some were hitting their target. When Stain realized that some of his limbs were going numb he knew she was hitting his pressure points. He could already feel the bullets causing heavy bruising. He was about to throw a kunai her direction, but Todoroki's paralysis wore off, and he shot another large glacier. Stain had to leap back. While in the air, he realized that Midoriya and Iida had disappeared.

' Where did they-'

Two flashes of light from both sides of his vision came to life. His entire world went into slow motion. He turned left and saw Midoriya, fist pulled back and ready. To his right he saw Iida, engines roaring in Recipro Burst. He looked back forward and saw another rubber bullet, going right for his forehead.

' Well...fuc-'

* SLAM*

All three things hit him at once.

"FOR MY BROTHER!"

"SMAAAAAASH!"

Stain was sent to the through the brick wall. All four heroes in training looked on at the body of the villain. His eyes rolled up into his head, blood coming from his nose and mouth, but breathing. And alive. He was unconscious.

They had won.


	18. A Stain Wiped Clean

The four Heroes in Training slowly peeked through the brick wall at Stain's body. Once they were absolutely sure that he was not getting back up, Yaoyorozu created ropes to go around the Hero Killer's limp hands and torso.

Once he was secure in a tiny little wagon Momo made, the four heroes began to take Stain and the other injured hero (whom they learned was Native) down the alley. As they were walking, Iida spoke up.

"I'm sorry." All heads turned to him. "I'm so sorry for this. None of you should've ever been dragged into this. I never even should have gone after Stain in the first place. You all showed me compassion and concern, but I just threw it away in my anger. But...even then all of you fought for me... fought with me. Thank you. Thank you three so much for everything you've done. I can never fully repay you for this, but I will surely do my absolute best to try."

Iida bowed down to his friends, hoping to have acquired their acceptance of his apology.

Izuku gave a small smile, "It's okay Iida. J-Just continue to be a hero for your brother."

"And next time one of us wants to go on a crazy escapade, you're the one that has to help next time," Todoroki added.

Yaoyorozu sweatdropped, "Oh please no. I don't think my heart can handle another big rescue mission like this for a while."

Iida stood back up, "Thank you three. I promise this won't happen again."

Todoroki stepped over to Iida and whispered so only they could hear. "I was serious about the escapade thing. I might need some help getting DNA samples from Midoriya and All Might."

"What!?"

"And possible stakeouts. This conversation never happened." Shoto winked and continued on walking like normal as the group finally reached the road.

"What are you doing here!?"

The heroes turned to see, to Izuku's distress, Gran Torino on the sidewalk. "W-Well you s-see G-Gran T-Tor-"

*_BAM*_

Izuku was stopped by a kick to the face. "I thought I told you to stay on the train!"

"Dwell I jussht thfwought you needed hemlp," Izuku said muffled by the boot on his face.

*_Sigh* "_Still reckless as ever. Now who are these people?"

"They're over here!"

The gang looked down the road to see all of the Pro's from earlier coming down the street. At the front of the pack was Endeavor and Edgeshot.

Edgeshot stopped in front of Yaoyorozu and gave her a once over. "Are you alright? When you weren't at the hospital we got worried. I swear Endeavor was gonna have a heart attack when his baby boy was gone."

"I heard that too!" Endeavor screamed.

Yaoyorozu laughed at her teacher's teasing antics. "Midoriya and I are okay. Iida and Todoroki are injured however. The Hero Killer managed to land decent blows on th-"

"Stop! Back up. Hero Killer? _The _Hero Killer!?"

Yaoyorozu gestured behind her to Stain still in his wagon. Edgeshot eyes slowly widened and his mouth, if you could see it, dropped. "Holy hell, I only trained you for two days. I must be some kind of teaching genius."

"Yes. Yes you are," Yaoyorozu laughed.

Gran Torino broke up the group banter, "Alright enough talk. Let's get the Hero Killer to the police and these kids to the hospi-...GET DOWN!"

All heads turned to only catch a glimpse of a winged nomu swoop down and grasp onto Midoriya, taking him off into the sky. Momo's heart stopped. One of the kinds of creatures that could fight All Might and cause this citywide destruction had gotten a hold of Midoriya.

"IZUKU!"

*_SHINK*_

Momo felt a weight lift from her hip. She looked down to see her sword gone from her belt, and Stain gone from his wagon.

*_SLASH*_

Everyone watched as the nomu carrying Midoriya was cut down from the sky, with Stain on top of it with a knife in it's brain. The three fell to the ground with Stain holding the nomu's corpse down and Izuku landing unscathed. Midoriya scrambled away from Stain, afraid he would try to kill him while he was down. Momo ran over to Izuku and crouched down next to him, taking a hold of his arm. It was dead quiet until Stain decided to speak.

"No. No no no I can't let you die. You're needed. in this world filled with fake heroes. Heroes who are Money-grubbing rats and attention whores. They must be purged for a more just society!" Stain's mask slipped off of his head as he turned back to his audience. His eyes traveling to Endeavor who was marching towards Stain.

"You're mine Hero Killer."

"Endeavor...you damn _FAKE_!" Endeavor halted in shock. "All of you are fakes! DISGUSTING, GREEDY FAKES! Come at me you scum! You won't kill me! Only one is worthy enough to be allowed to kill me! The one true hero! ALL MIGHT!"

*_CLANG"_

With his final words spoken, Stain dropped Momo's sword and his eyes went blank. They learned later that one of his ribs punctured his lungs, and also the blood from his broken nose dripped into his mouth while talking, paralyzing himself. He managed to pass out standing up. It was scary to think that even after everything, Stain was still ready to take them all on for his cause.

Endeavor scoffed, "I'll take him to the police. Get the kids out of here."

The rest became a blur to Izuku. His mind was stuck on Stain's speech. All he was able to really process was an ambulance, and something warm embracing him the whole ride to the hospital.

…

**(Hosu General Hospital: A few hours later)**

_"Are you guys okay!?"_

Izuku pulled his phone away from his ear from Uraraka's volume. "Yeah. We're all okay. Yaoyorozu and I just got a few scratches, nothing major. Iida and Todoroki are still getting patched up. Todoroki got a pretty bad cut on his arm, but it'll heal in a week or two. Iida...Iida got a knife through his leg. I'm not sure how he's doing, but it probably ripped through a good bit of it."

"And is Iida okay like...in the head?"

Izuku chuckled, "He didn't go insane Uraraka, just revenge-crazy. But, he's okay now. Or at least as much as he can be."

"Good. I'm really happy you guys are okay Deku."

"Thanks but you should really be thanking Yaoyorozu. For a minute, all of us were incapacitated and she stopped Stain and held him off by herself. It was so cool! She was like a ninja. She was disappearing into the shadows and had a sword fight with him! It was awesome!"

"O-Oh...uh, yeah. I'll be sure to do that."

Izuku noticed Ochako suddenly sounded off, "Is everything okay Uraraka?"

"Oh! Yes! I'm just tired from all this high tension. I was just really worried about you guys. But, I uh gotta go Deku. Gunhead is calling me back. I'll see you later!"

*_Click* _And with that, the call ended.

"Oh, um...bye." Izuku felt that the end of the conversation was weird, but brushed it off to stress. '_She must actually be really tired.'_

_*Brrrrrring*_

Izuku looked down to see he was getting another call from his Mom. *_Click*_

_"_Hey Mo-"

"HONEY WHAT HAPPENED!? ARE YOU ALRIGHT!? DO YOU NEE-"

"I'm okay Mom. We all are. I was hardly hurt, just a few scratches here and there. I'm already patched up and going back to my internship tomorrow morning." He heard his mother sigh in relief.

"Oh good. When we saw you on the news, we were just so worried."

"We?"

"Oh, me and Toshi."

"Toshi!?"

Izuku heard the nickname and immediately knew it was All Might. He could hear his mom shuffling uncomfortably. "O-Oh right, I-I was supposed t-to tell you that we h-have been meeting up. For progress reports on you."

Izuku squinted his eyes, "Progress reports...really?"

"Yep."

"... he's there right now isn't he?"

Izuku heard a sudden thud and shuffling coming from the other end. Hurried and panicked whispering took place before a shaky and nervous voice came through on the line.

"M-Midoriya my boy, how are you?"

"...You know we need to talk when I get back right?."

"...I know."

*_Click*_

Izuku ended the call and walked back upstairs to his shared hospital room. He slid open the door to find Yaoyorozu alone sitting on her bed. "Todoroki and Iida are still getting healed I presume?"

Momo nodded and patted the space on the edge of her bed. Izuku blushed at the thought of being on a bed with a girl, but pushed it aside for now. He sat on the edge of her hospital bed and they just smiled at each other. A comfortable silence fell over the room.

Comfortable. That was a word Izuku always found intriguing. Comfort was a feeling that he use to only feel when alone in his room or with his mother. But, now it became a whole new meaning to him. Comfort was being with his friends. Comfort was being accepted by his classmates and even sometimes praised. Comfort was having his friends, his mom, or All Might there when things were bad. True comfort was being with Yaoyorozu. When she was around, everything felt so...warm. A nice, embracing warmth. Maybe it was time to allow that comfort to show itself in some way. To show her he appreciated her.

"Hey Y-Yaoyorozu?"

"Yes?"

"Um...back when t-the nomu grabbed me, y-you shouted my name."

Momo looked confused, "Well I assume that's what one does when worried for a friend being taken away."

"N-No, I mean...you called me Izuku."

Izuku could see Yaoyorozu's eyes widen in remembrance, "I-It seems I did. I'm sorry about that. I was in a panic, and I jus-"

"Y-You can keep calling me Izuku."

"... really?" Momo asked perplexed.

Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck, "W-Well, when you know someone's secrets that no one else knows, a-and you've been in a number of life threatening situations with them, I'd say that warrants being on a first name basis. I-I guess."

"Are you sure?"

"I-I...yes."

Yaoyorozu's cheeks took on a slight pink, "Well then _Izuku,_ you can call me Momo from now on."

"Okay...Momo."

…

**(The Next Morning)**

The four students sat in their shared hospital room conversing with one another, until a nurse and doctor came in with papers.

"Good morning everyone. Ms. Yaoyorozu, Mr. Midoriya, and Mr. Todoroki, you three are free to leave whenever you like. However, Mr. Iida, we would like to talk with you about your leg."

Iida's face instantly turned into one with fear. If his leg was permanently damaged, then how would he use his quirk in school.

"The knife pierced through your bicep femoris. That is the strand of muscles in your thigh that allows you to bend your knees."

That news brought instantaneous worry to everyone in the room. How could Iida run if he couldn't bend his knee? The doctor thankfully brought back some kind of peace.

"Luckily it didn't quite sever it completely, so it will heal over time. But, it could take quite a while. Do your best not to lock your knees. You will have to ice it for 10-15 minutes every hour, and you will need to wear a brace. And I'm sorry to say this, but your leg is going to permanently lose strength. It will be more prone to locking up as well. We'll give you one last examination before you leave today."

Iida looked down at the floor, "Yes...thank you."

The nurse and doctor left the room for the teenagers to mull over the information.

"Well, this is what I get huh." All eyes turned to Iida who was giving off a sorrowful smile. "I may hate Stain, but he spoke the truth. What I did was unheroic and illegal. In those moments, I was no hero. This injury will always remind me of that. It shows me that I still have plenty to learn, and that I will do my absolute hardest to be an amazing hero from this moment forward."

Izuku smiled to his friend. He was about to say something until someone else spoke for him.

"That is, _if_ you are still allowed back at school." The heroes in training turned to the sliding door to see Gran Torino, Edgeshot, Manuel, and...a dog man?

Gran Torino walked over to Midoriya and...okay it's an old person who's angry at Midoriya. You know how this fanfic goes.

*_Smack_*

"Ow! Why!?"

"Expect this for the rest of your internship for running off. Now Mr. Tsuragamae has something to say to all of you."

The Chief walked further into the room and stood tall, shoulders back and hands behind him. "Thank you, Gran Torino woof. So, you four are the ones who took down the Hero Killer. I can't deny that I'm impressed with your skill. However, it has been well implemented in your minds that it is illegal for unlicensed individuals to use their quirks without direct order from an official or guardian woof. So punishment is inevitable for you and your Pro Hero supervisors."

"Are you kidding me!?" Everyone turned to Todoroki at his outburst. "If Iida didn't go, Native would be dead. If me, Midoriya, and Yaoyorozu didn't go both of them would be dead. So what if a rule was broken? There were lives on the line. I thought heroes were supposed to save lives. Are you telling us that it was wrong to save them!? Todoroki sneered.

"So bending the rules is perfectly fine as long as it turns out okay? You don't understand. You're not a real pro yet."

"I don't understand? You wouldn't save your friends and family just because someone told you not to!?"

"Hm, so rude woof. What exactly has U.A and Endeavor been teaching you?"

Todoroki began stomping towards the police chief, "You damn mutt."

Izuku and Tenya jumped in his way, holding him back. Iida tried to knock some sense into him. "Todoroki stop! He's right! We shouldn't have even been there."

"Let him finish!"

The boys stopped at Gran Torino's command, and turned back around. The Chief cleared his throat and continued.

"That was the official opinion of the police. However, that would be if this went public. I have no doubt that the public would side with Mr. Todoroki here woof. They would likely praise you four for your actions. Punishment would still be inescapable however. We would like to propose a different approach. We believe that we should keep this battle of yours under wraps woof. And due to his cuts, precise injuries to his pressure points, and eye witnesses seeing him near the site, it would be the most believable cover story that Edgeshot was responsible for his arrest woof."

"As much as I think you kids deserve recognition...I also will gladly take credit for taking down such a scummy guy. Also, lack of formal punishment sounds pretty good to me," Edgeshot said a little sarcastically.

The Police Chief turned back to the group, "The choice is still yours to make. Take the credit and praise for your good deeds, but accept punishment. Or crush the violations before they ever turn public. Personally, I don't want to see such promising young kids have a downfall. But that is off the record."

Manuel spoke up, "We're still going to have to punish you guys and ourselves for letting you out of our sights. Who knew a few teens would cause so much trouble."

Iida immediately shot up and limped his way to Manuel, bowing down. "I'm so sorry for the grand trouble I caused you. I promise I will be nothing but a perfect student for you to mentor for the remainder of this internship."

Manuel chopped the top of Iida's head, "If that's so then you'll never do it again, alright?"

"Yes sir."

Yaoyorozu and Midoriya both stood and bowed down to their supervisors; they simultaneously said, "I'm truly sorry."

Edgeshot placed a hand down on top of Momo's head, "Apology accepted. I'm taking it you chose the second option? Nice work on those pressure points by the way. And from the sword you had, I'm assuming you did more than just that. Maybe it's time to increase your training exercises."

Gran Torino walked up to Midoriya, "Accepted."

*_Smack*_

_"_Ow! I'm going to have brain damage soon."

The Chief then suddenly bowed down as well, "As a fellow protector of the peace, I must thank you all for you acts."

Todoroki looked away, "You could have started with that ya know."

The heroes and police chief then left the room, leaving the teenagers to get ready to leave.

Todoroki suddenly spoke up, "By the way, I've been thinking...it seems every person I've been around in a fight has had something happen to their legs. Midoriya at the USJ and Festival, and now you Iida. I think I'm cursed."

The other three just looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

"Pffft HAHAHAHAHAHA Todoroki, I didn't know you could make jokes!" laughed Midoriya.

"It's not a joke. I'm like the 'Leg Crusher' or something."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Momo then spoke up during her laughing, "You have no room to talk Izuku. Shigaraki's hand was shot at the USJ, and with what happened to Bakugou I'd say you're the 'Hand Crusher'".

Izuku immediately stopped laughing, "Holy crap you're right."

The Momo and Iida then continued their laughter at their friends antics.

…

**(The End of the Internships)**

"Are your bags all packed kid?"

"Yes. Gran Torino, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me this week. I'll keep practicing, and pushing my limits higher and higher until I'm at my maximum potential. Oh, and once I'm a pro, I'll pay you back for all the damages I caused."

"Haha! No need kid, I'll pull it out of Toshinori's tab. He was a destructive mess too. Now hurry, your train is leaving soon."

Midoriya picked up his bags and ran out the door. "Yes, thanks again! I'll be sure to tell All Might you said hi!"

"Hey wait!"

Midoriya turned around and looked back to Gran Torino's front door. "Who are you again?"

"Wh- I-I, are you kiddi-...I'm Izuku Mid-..." Izuku paused, realizing what he was supposed to say.

"Deku."

"Good. Now get on outta here. And use protection with that Yaoyorozu girl!"

"W-W-W-What!?"

"Ha! And now your punishment for running off is officially fulfilled. Seriously though, get on that. It's obnoxiously obvious between you two. Well bye." Gran Torino then walked back inside and closed the door...leaving Izuku unconscious on the ground.

…

"You didn't have to walk me to the station Sensei."

"I know, but I wanted to. I'm gonna miss having someone around to tease."

Momo chuckled and turned around as she arrived at the door to her train. "I certainly will miss that attitude of yours."

"Everyone does. Think fast!"

*_CLANG*_

Edgeshot's small dagger was blocked by a blade Momo created out of her wrist. She wrapped her hand around his forearm and pushed forward. Edgeshot used her momentum to twist her around and pin her arm behind her back.

"A reaction and a response. Not bad." He let her go and she brushed herself off. "But, you still need work. And remember what I said, drawing your strength from others can only go so far." He lifted a finger and poked her heart. "You have to find it in here. And while I mean find your strength within yourself, I also mean green haired boys you go ga-ga for."

"Ha ha. Very funny."

"I'm serious. But if you won't listen now, you'll figure it out soon. Hey, I want you to have something."

Edgeshot signaled to his driver who brought a long package. Momo opened it up to find a katana, but it was longer than normal. The hilt was wrapped in black and crimson ribbon that was hanging off of it. The entire blade looked to be onyx and the sharp side was almost like a crystal blood red. A red, long and old wooden sheathe came along with it.

"It's an Odachi. But it has no name yet. I thought you could."

Yaoyorozu furrowed her as she picked it up and waved it around. Then she smiled, "Fushigiri."

"Haha! That's what happens when I show you my hobbies. Good name. Now get on outta here. And stay in touch!"

Momo bowed down to Edgeshot, "Thank you. For this sword, for training me, for taking a chance on me, for everything."

Momo then got on the train, and waved goodbye.

…

**(Several hours later: Musutaphu, Japan)**

Toshinori was just leaving the grocery store and walking out to his car. Once he entered the car, he drove off into the street. He stopped at a red light that illuminated the inside of his car. He looked up into the rearview mirror…

...and saw Izuku in the backseat.

"Good Evening All Might."

"AAAAAHHH!"

All Might panicked and swerved off the road into a nearby lot. He stomped on the breaks and sat there trying to catch his breath.

"Or should I say...Toshi."

"...I can explain."


	19. Coming to Terms

"So young man, what are your intentions with my mother?"

"I'm far older than you Young Midoriya. And how many times do I have to tell you it really was just a meeting about your progress? Nothing happened! We just acted so weird because we knew you would think we were together!"

"Then why does she call you 'Toshi'"!?

Toshinori sweatdropped, "That was her doing. I felt that the formalities could be dropped and that I liked my real name better than 'Mr. Yagi'. So I said to call me Toshinori, but...she liked the nickname better."

Izuku squinted his eyes, "So nothing happened?"

"No. So...could you please stop trying strangle me?"

In the truck sat Toshinori Yagi and Izuku Midoriya, the latter of which being held back by former trying to keep the teenagers hands off of his throat. Izuku slumped back down into the passenger seat and sighed.

"Sorry. So...y-you really aren't, you know... together?"

"Young Midoriya, I've only known her for a couple of weeks. No, I'm not dating your mother. And I would of course ask you about it first. If uh, I did like her that is."

"Okay. Well...that's a shame."

Toshinori spat out blood in surprise, "What!? You actually want me to date you mother!? Then why did you try to strangle me!?"

"Fear tactics. But, I guess I am okay with it. I...W-Well it would be weird. I mean, t-to have you and my mom be together. But, I do know that you make her happy. And, she thinks you're funny. And it…"

"What is it?"

"I... it's just that, it's something that little kid me could only dream about. Having you for a dad that is. My d-... Hisashi left without even saying a word. I was born, he left to America for work, and when he got the letter that I was quirkless...we never heard back. And, we've never heard from him since. Or, at least I haven't. I'm assuming Mom had to for the divorce, but I didn't even learn about that until years later."

Toshinori was doing his best to soak up every word of this and take it to heart. It wasn't often his successor shared this kind of stuff, so Toshi felt that he should take what he could for now. He waited for Izuku to continue.

"I-I never really knew him. So I guess the m-main reason I want you to be with my mom is because... y-you already filled the space of "father figure" in my life. Might as well get the full package. Oh! A-And because y-you make my mom really happy of course."

A deafening silence filled the car. Izuku shifted uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding all eye contact with All Might. "Yeah, this is weird. I-I'm so sorry. F-Forget I said anything. I-I'll just go." Midoriya put his hand on the door handle, but just as he was about to exit the truck, a bony arm wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him into a hug. Another hand was placed on his head, patting his head.

"No. Not weird at all. I've never really had a family of my own. The closest I've ever had was my master and Gran Torino. He's basically like my weird uncle," Toshinori chuckled. "But, trust me when I say this. You've definitely more than filled in my spot for family. So I'm honored to know that you feel the same. I'm also very uncomfortable because your tears are soaking through my clothes."

Toshinori looked down to see the floor of his truck begin to fill with water. "Sorry," Izuku sobbed.

"That's okay my boy. Also, quick question. Why is Young Todoroki parked next to us looking at is with binoculars?"

Izuku shot up and whipped around to see Todoroki sitting in the passenger seat of a car parked directly next to them, looking at them through large binoculars. Why he chose to use binoculars even though he was 3 ft away, the world may never know. They made eye contact with Shoto and they saw him panic and yell at the driver, presumably his sister, and then they sped off.

"Oh boy."

…

(**1 Minute Earlier)**

"Shoto, why did you make me drive you all the way out here just so you can spy on your friend and his dad?" Fuyumi asked.

"That's not his father. All Might is."

"All Might has a kid!?"

"Well, at least I think. That's what I'm trying to prove. I don't know who the skeleton is, but he can't be Midoriya's dad. He looks nothing like him."

"Neither does All Might."

"Shush," Shoto said. Fuyumi gavea look of disbelief.

"Do you seriously not have anything better to do with your time?"

"Yes. Okay, now they're hugging. They're talking. They're looking right at me. Okay now ther- CRAP! DRIVE! DRIVE! DRIVE!"

Fuyumi ignited the engine and sped off into the night.

…

**(First Week Back To School)**

"NO FAIR! You guys had all the fun!"

Yaoyorozu sheepishly smiled towards her pink friend. "I wouldn't exactly call fighting for your life against a serial killer 'fun' Mina."

All of the girls were surrounding Momo's desk, sending question after question her way. Hagakure was the next to speak.

"Yeah but still, you guys went up against _THE _Hero Killer! That's at absolute least a conversation piece."

"A conversation about how we lost and Edgeshot had to save us. I don't think I'm missing much." Yaoyorozu hated lying like this, but it was the only way.

She turned to see the boys hammering Izuku, Iida, and Todoroki about it as well. When Izuku walked into class today she saw him and Todoroki awkwardly stare at one another. Both unmoving and unblinking until Izuku sat at his desk. She would have to ask about that later.

For now though, she would have to ponder Bakugou's hair as he walked into the room. Kirishima and Sero both taking immediate notice.

"PFFFFT HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! WHAT'S UP WITH YOUR HAIR MAN!?"

Bakugou stood shaking and seething with rage, "Shut. The fuck. Up. I can't. Fix it."

Sero could hardly speak through his laughter, "You look like a K-Pop star!"

"RRRAAAAAAH! SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH OFFICE SUPPLIES!"

*_BOMB* _Bakugou's hair popped back to normal.

"There it goes! Hahahahahaha!"

As the two were about to be burnt to a crisp, Bakugou made eye contact with Izuku. He walked his way over to his desk and loomed over him. Momo wanted to intervene but she knew how that would look. It would show Bakugou she knew something, breaking the promise she made to Izuku. She had to trust in Izuku to handle this on his own.

Bakugou had been avoiding Deku for a while. Katsuki didn't want to see his "dumb fucking face". That nerd had almost bested him in a fight. Him. Katsuki Bakugou. Katsuki's entire world flipped after that. He couldn't chalk it up to being some fluke or some dumb plan the weakling made like during their first her excercise. This was a no holds barred, no gear, no partner, all out fight against one another…. And Bakugou almost lost.

Katsuki ignored Izuku because he was trying to turn him back into the 'pebble'. The thing he didn't have to even acknowledge existed if he didn't want to. If he didn't exist it wouldn't matter. The bug he could crush at anytime. But the damn nerd didn't make it easy. He was always doing shit to stand out now. Katsuki just wanted Deku to go back to curling up in his desk and not speaking.

And now the Hero Killer business finally put some ease to Katsuki's mind.

'_That idiot had three other extras to help him and he still got his ass kicked and had to get saved. To think I would ever start to worry about God-damn Deku. Maybe he actually hasn't changed.'_

Bakugou finally felt like himself again. He saw Deku in his desk and thought it best to remind himself of where he stood.

"So Nerd, you fought the Hero Killer and got your ass kicked. Why am I not surprised? You won the Sports Festival but can't even handle some lowlife."

"S-Stain was seriously skilled Ka-...Bakugou. He's killed dozens of people. I don't think that warrants being just a 'lowlife'."

"Tch, whatever. If I was there I-...wait. The fuck did you just call me?"

He could see Deku start to squirm in his seat at this. '_Bakugou? He's never called me by my surname. What the hell is he doing?'_

_"_Hey Deku, answer me! Why did you-"

"**I AM HERE, ACCIDENTALLY BREAKING THE DOOR!"**

All eyes turned to see All Might with the handle to the door in his hand, disconnected from its home. "**Um...if anyone asks, Mineta did it."**

"What!? Why me!? That's not very truth and justice like!"

"**Well Young Mineta, when it comes to you, I and literally everyone else doesn't care. Especially the fan base! You'll be billed by the end of the week."**

"But I-"

**"Anyway, young heroes, today it's time for another Heroics lesson. Onward to Field Gamma!"**

...

**(Field Gamma)**

**"Now you might be wondering what we're doing today. Well wonder no more! Today we are doing some good old fashioned racing. Or more appropriately, racing to save the day! Every hero must know how to get to the scene of a crime in a quick and timely manner. No matter if they have a speed quirk or not. Five students will be randomly picked to race against each other to get to the citizen in trouble. Which will be yours truly! I tried to get a dress and a baby carriage to look the part for the 'cliche damsel in distress'. But the dry cleaners was clothes."**

The class snickered at his joke.

**"What? Did I say something funny?"**

Or... actual statement.

"**Anyway, the person to finish first gets this 'Thank You Hero' sash! Let's see who's up first!"**

Hanta Sero

Mina Ashido

Izuku Midoriya

Tenya Iida

Mashirao Ojiro

Toshinori looked awkwardly as the number four spot. "**Ah, well I think it would be best if you sat this one out Young Iida. **

"Actually sir, if you wouldn't mind I'd like to try. I'm wearing my brace, it's been iced, and it would be a good to stretch it out a bit. My legs are getting terribly stiff sitting all day."

"**Hmm... I'll allow it. But, if you feel any pain throughout the race you must stop and not continue any further. Do you understand?"**

"Yes sir."

"**Alright then. Head to your starting positions racers!"**

…

All five students were at their starting points, stretching and preparing for the start. The rest of the class was back on the original platform, making bets on who they think will win.

"It's gonna be Sero," said Kirishima.

"Nah man, Ojiro propels himself with his tail, and it's strong as hell. He's got this." Kaminari chimed in.

"Mina's got great reflexes! She's totally gonna win. I'll bet you 1,000 yen on it." Mineta spoke out, actually giving a legit compliment instead of a pervy remark.

"Oh you're on!" both of the other boys said simultaneously.

Soon the most of class got into it. Making a little betting pool that soon built up to only 6,000 yen due to some of the class not betting. Each person that did place a bet (Mineta, Kaminari, Kirishima, Hagakure, Sato, and Asui. Bakugou placed a bet but it was considered invalid since all he said was "Deku's gonna fucking lose") put in 1,000 yen each. Each racer got at least one bet for them, except a certain green headed boy. That is, until someone else chimed in.

"I'll bet double or nothing on Izuku." All eyes widened and turned to look at Yaoyorozu in shock. "While I'm not usually one who usually condones gambling, this is too good to pass up," she said, smirking.

Kaminari laughed, "I thought you were supposed to be the smartest in class. Midoriya's a great guy, but he breaks his bones just by using his power."

Kirishima also spoke up, "Even with his new moves from the Sports Festival, he's still pretty slow compared to the rest of them."

Momo just smiled. "So I take it you'll accept the bet."

"You're so on! I'm gonna be rich!" Kaminari gloated, already thinking of the things he could buy. All Might got on his megaphone to begin the race. Jirou and Uraraka had a sudden realization and both turned to Yaoyorozu at the same time.

"Did you just call him Izuk-"

**"Begin!"**

The class watched as Sero shot to the sky, Mina slid across pipes with acid, Iida raced through the streets, and Ojiro bounce his way across rooftops. Sero immediately took first place, much to Kirishima's glee. He turned to Yaoyorozu. "Looks like your boy is nowhere to be found Yaoyorozu. It's a good thing you're rich or else this would put a hefty dent in your pocket."

"I'd look again Kirishima," Momo said confidentiality.

He and all other eyes looked back to the screen to see a giant light arc spark up into the air from the center of the city. Afterwards a green streak of light zipped over and through pipes with ease, passing all of the competition with ease. And within the next few seconds was already over halfway to the finish point.

"What the hell! Is that…"

The camera couldn't even focus in on the streak. It was moving too fast. Before anyone knew it, the green light skid to a stop in front of All Might, revealing Izuku Midoriya to his class.

"**We have a winner!"**

All jaws of Class 1-A dropped besides the four who fought Stain with Midoriya and already knew about his new speed. Momo walked over to Kirishima and lifted his jaw back up to close his mouth. "I withdraw my bet by the way."

The rest of the participants finally made it to the platform, all minus Iida were flabbergasted. Ashido zipped over to Midoriya, grabbing onto his collar.

"What the heck was that Midoriya!?"

Midoriya began to blush at the closeness of Ashido and began to stutter and sputter. To which then cause Momo to then feel an uncomfortable irk in her stomach, but she pushed it down.

Jirou saw the sudden appearance and disappearance of Yaoyorozu's discomfort. She wondered what it was about, but then followed Momo's line of sight to see Mina shaking around a blushing Midoriya.

_'So Yaoyorozu is uncomfortable at Midoriya being close to another girl, and she calls him by his first name... wonderful. Just fucking wonderful.'_

Jirou wanted to look at literally anything BUT that. So she moved her eyes away from the scene to see Uraraka giving off the same look that she herself was...and somehow Yaoyorozu's face all at the same time.

'_Sorry Ochako...I feel your pain.'_

Bakugou was boiling mad. What else is new?

'_While I was wasting my time with that fucking moron Jean boy, Deku was just getting better. Again and again and again, this shit keeps happening.'_

Katsuki would once again take a sudden disinterest in Izuku Midoriya.

Midoriya walked to All Might and accepted the sash. "**Well done Young Midoriya! Now who's up next?"**

Midoriya looked down at his sash and smiled, '_Thanks Gran Torino.'_

_"_**Psst. Young Midoriya." **Izuku looked up to see All Might trying to whisper to him. "**That was astounding. I couldn't even recognize you. Meet me in the teacher's lounge after class." **With that, he walked away to start the next round of races.

…

**(One hour later: Girl's Locker Room)**

Momo has just taken off her belt when-

"Holy crap Yaomomo! Where did ya get THAT thing!?"

Momo turned to see Hagakure's floating glove point towards her locker and realized she was referring to "Fushigiri". "Oh, that's the sword Edgeshot gave me after our internship. I kept it above my locker because I figured they wouldn't do combat exercises on the first day back."

"Oh! Edgeshot gave it to you? I figured it would be your new boy toy _Iz-u-ku." _Momo blushed a bit. "Don't you go around thinking I didn't hear that Yaomomo. First name basis huh? Is there something you're not telling us?"

"N-Nope. Just two good friends using each other's first names."

"Each other's? So Midoriya also calls you Momo?" Mina added in smirking.

"Everyone shut up for a second." All turned to Kyouka at her words. "Do you hear that?" Everyone began to get quiet as Jirou began looking around the room for the source of the noise until she found a hold in the wall.

All the girls walked over to it, "Do you think this is Mineta's doing ribbet?"

Jirou jacked one of her ear jacks into the wall and the other into her phone, "Let's find out." Using a trick she picked up on her internship, she send the noise she was hearing through one Jack and into the other, conversation of the boys coming out from her phone.

…

**(Same Time: Boys Locker Room)**

"Yo guys, check this out!" The grape-head said.

"I would like to present to you the pinnacle of out U.A high predecessors. The perves before us have passed down a gift. A perfect hole into the girls locker room!"

Izuku's brain all of a sudden betrayed him with the image of Momo changin- '_No!'_

Mineta continued, "Whoever wants a peek you can join but I get first look!" Mineta began rubbing his hands together and walked over to the hole. "Oh man, I can't wait to see Tooru's floating underwear, Uraraka's ura-riffic curves, all of Mina's firm lower half, Asui's surprising assets, Yaoyorozu's perfect bo-"

"Stop." Mineta turned back around to see Midoriya glaring at him. Izuku has only just realized something. He had never actually tried to stop Mineta. He had perved and harassed all of the girls in class, and while Izuku hated it, he had never actually stopped it. Or hell, even said anything about it. But today, something just snapped. He hated the idea of Mineta looking at Yaoyorozu that way. Or anyone of the girls that way for that matter. Especially without their consent.

"I-I...I said stop! M-Momo's had quite enough of your constant harassment. All the girls have! A-And I definitely have. S-So... stop! Right now!"

All the other guys in the locker looked a little confused. Except for Iida and Todoroki who were in total agreement. The others just kind of chalked it up to be "good ol Mineta's antics" again. But it seemed Izuku didn't see it that way, at least not anymore. Mineta squinted his eyes and turned around.

"Oh! So you call her 'Momo' now! I see Midoriya! You just want Yaoyorozu all for yourself!"

"What!? No I-"

"Don't worry man. I get it. I would to if I got that. But, just because you already got to plow her soil doesn't mean we other poor and humble farmers shouldn't have a chance! Have some pity! Don't hog it all to yourself!"

All eyes widened and eyebrows rose except for Izuku's whose brow furrowed. "Wow. I now know how Kacchan feels."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I now know what it feels like to want to kill somebody."

"W-...What?"

"Come here."

…

**(Girls Locker Room)**

All the girls heard next was screaming, banging, shouting, and possible explosions from the boys, and likely sobbing from Mineta. Suddenly all became quiet, and the next thing the girls knew Shoto's ice filled the whole in the wall.

Kyouka took out her jack and turned back to the other girls. "Um...so Mineta's dead."

Mina turned to Yaoyorozu, "Yeah, sure. He's _totally_ not your boyfriend. Whatever you say girl."

While Momo was a little terrified at what had just happened, she was also extremely flattered and happy. Izuku was the first person besides the other girls to actually stand up against Mineta. Iida always reprimanded him, but that's it. Izuku actually...did something. While she highly doubts he's dead, whatever happened she knows Mineta deserved.

They didn't find Mineta for 3 days.

…

**(2 hours later: Teacher's lounge)**

"Hey All Might."

"Ah, Young Midoriya. Please take a se-..." Toshinori looked over to see Midoriya's hands covered in, hopefully not, blood. "Um...should I ask?"

"Probably not."

"Yeah I'm going to anyway. What the heck!?"

Izuku sat down with a first aid kit that was on the wall and began wrapping his hands up. "It's my own blood, not anyone else's, so don't worry. I hit a locker and scraped my hand across the ridges."

"Why exactly did punch a locker?"

Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I-I...I tried t-to hit Mineta."

"I would ask why, but I get the feeling it has something to do with a remark made towards Young Yaoyorozu."

"...That. And he was gonna try to peek into their locker room."

Toshinori pulled out his phone and sent off a text. "Nezu should be speaking to him soon."

"Good luck finding him. I said I tried to hit him. I never said I failed at doing other things."

Toshi sighed and slumped down into his chair. "I'm gonna ask again Young Midoriya. What are your feelings towards Yaoyorozu?"

Midoriya thought for a second, really thought. He thought about her smile, her absolute stunning and flawless beauty inside and out. Her love for books. Her lack of confidence just like him. The way he watches it slowly build up. Her elegance. How much she inspires him. How much he feels like he can trust her. Her loyalty. Her cute little quirks like when she twirls her bang or moves her tongue around when she's thinking hard. Her skills. Her giddiness when it comes to learning and helping and more. Her compassion for others. Her compassion for him. Her warm hugs. The comfort she brings to him. How somehow every color is brighter wherever she is. The way she makes all of the bad days in his life not matter anymore as long as she's there.

Reason after reason after reason, just kept flooding his mind. He couldn't stop it. It was endless. He looked back up to All Might, who clearly already knew the answer.

"I...I like her. I like her so..._so _much. I like her so much it hurts. I haven't stopped thinking about her since the Sports Festival. While training. While fighting Stain. She's always there."

"I know. So what're you gonna do about it."

"... nothing."

All Might face palmed. "Really!? REALLY!? BOOOOO! BOOOOOO!"

"Why are you booing at me!?"

"Because you're being stupid!"

"I-...I-I just can't okay! I just can't! I mean look at me! I'm me! Izuku 'Plain as can be, never give a passing glance' Midoriya! Even if for some unholy reason she did like me-'

"She does."

"IF! If she does, I still have a target on my back. I'm... I-I'm too dangerous." Izuku slumped down into the seat, covering his face with his hands.

"Who gives a damn about All For One!" Izuku looked back up to Toshinori. "I let him control my life for too long. I refuse to let him control yours."

"But you said-"

"I know what I said. Nevermind that."

All Might got up and kneeled in front of Izuku, grasping his shoulders, "You are an amazing kid. You are a teenager. You're allowed to love, even if you don't understand it yet. If we live in fear of what he _could _do, then we're letting him win. You have a life to live, and I have a strong feeling it's with that beautiful young woman. End of the summer."

"W-What?"

"You have until the end of this summer to tell her how you feel. That way you can focus on finals now. If you don't, I'm gonna start intervening."

Midoriya looked away for a second and mulled over everything All Might said. "...okay. Okay...End of the summer. I'll do it by then. I-I...I promise." Izuku got up and wiped his eyes, and went to the door. He suddenly turned around and hugged All Might. "Thank you."

And then, he left.

Toshinori rubbed his temples, "Kid you're gonna turn me gray." Yagi thought about what he had said to Midoriya. About how he shouldn't live in fear of All For One anymore. Maybe...maybe it was time to take his own advice. He pulled out his cell phone, dialed the number, and leaned against the window.

He looked out to see Yaoyorozu and Izuku leaving the school grounds together as his phone rang.

*_Click* "Hello?"_

_"_Afternoon Inko, it's Toshi. I uh... Do...do you wanna go out sometime?"

_"F-...For a meeting about Izuku?"_

_"_No. Like a date. A real date. A romantic date."

_"...I-...I would very much like that. I-Is Saturday okay?"_

"Perfect. I'll... I will see you then. I'll pick you up at seven."

"O-Okay. G-Goodbye."

*_Click*_

Toshinori slowed his breathing, "What has this family done to you Toshinori?"


	20. Prep for Finals

**(The Last Week of June)**

The weeks that passed for Class 1-A were fairly uneventful. The most interesting thing to happen was the fact that when the teachers finally found Mineta and sent him off to Nezu, he came back...normal. He didn't really do anything perverted. Well, at least not overtly pervy; he is still Mineta after all.

Now, while it may have been uneventful for the class in general, Izuku didn't seem to catch a break. In a good way though... kind of. While it may have been nice to get his feelings for the Creation Quirk Beauty off of his chest, it came with a whole new set of problems.

That was the first time he had said it, much less thought it. Now that his feelings were open to himself, being around Momo was almost scary. He was terrified that he would accidentally mutter stuff he wasn't ready for her to know yet. Every Time they touched Izuku would shiver, which in turn showed Midoriya just how touchy Momo seems to have gotten.

A hand on the arm here, and hand on the back there. A multitude of times throughout the day it would happen. So much so that Momo would continuously ask him if he was cold from all the shivering.

Izuku's body also seemed to get sick of the containment of his emotions. Almost every single time they were close to one another, Izuku got an extreme itch in his brain to just blurt it out. And her hero costume REALLY DIDN'T HELP.

Just when Izuku thought he had trained his mind to ignore all of the skin tight costumes of his female classmates, his infatuation with Momo sparked to life. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

He really felt guilty for what he did to Mineta because now he was doing the same thing the grape-head did. It got so bad that Izuku started to draw up some re-designs for her. He just couldn't take it anymore. Besides, he didn't want to get caught staring. He hated himself enough for doing it, he didn't need anyone else berating him.

He was almost done with the final sketch. He already checked in with Power Loader to see if the materials he needed existed. What Power Loader showed Izuku was essentially the latest version of Midnight's self-repairing cloth. Very thin, easily tearable, but it gets the job done and protects you... Izuku then realized the innuendo of Midnight's material choice. _'Gross.'_

Deciding to DEFINITELY NOT think about Momo essentially wearing a body condom, he finished up his final design. He knew that Momo still would need open spaces even if the material was thin and whatever she created could easily tear through it. Her arms were still bare, there was a cleavage window, and the sides of her hips, thighs, and calves had openings on each section.

The basic aesthetic design was still the same. The entire suit were still the same colors. Her belt was the same, and the silver cut-offs were still there. Izuku even put cushions on her boots for quieter steps. There was also a small clasp on the chest so she could open it up whenever she wanted to.

**(Imagine this except: No cape, No Green, and no brace on the arm: It's the cover to this story or look up MizuToriWP and it's the cover image to the story. Sorry but links seem to not want to work for me.)**

'_ I'm finally done. Now all I need to do is-'_

"What are you drawing Izuku?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" Izuku slammed his notebook shut and looked up and to the left to see Momo standing over his desk. "Nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

Momo smirked, "I thought said you would show me when you made an entry on me?"

Izuku realized he was busted. He slowly slid the notebook over in embarrassment. Yaoyorozu picked it up and found her page, her eyes widening.

"Is...is this…?"

"I-It's a redesign...f-for your costume. N-Not that I don't like your costume now! I-It's just that...I-I thought you m-might like something that uh...covers you a bit more."

Momo looked it over from the materials to the openings on the sides. She was already highly impressed by the costume, but she was even more impressed with Izuku's art skill. '_ I...I can't actually look like this. He made me out to be some kind of goddess.'_

"W-Well...t-that sounds pretty accurate to me."

Yaoyorozu's eyes shot back up to meet Izuku's. The first thing she realized was that she once again muttered out loud like he did. And secondly, she realized what he had said. He essentially just said she looked like a goddess.

'_ Did...Was that a flirt?' _Momo wasn't sure if Izuku intended to say what he said out loud either because he was suddenly sweating up a storm. * _Ahem* _"Well, that's very sweet of you to say Midoriya. Thank you. Now when did you plan on giving this to the Support Course?"

"Wh-...Y-You mean you like it?"

"Of course I do! Besides, I would like to have it before the practical exams too."

"O-Okay. Uh yeah! We can go after class."

"Wonderful! We should also go to our study spot again later. I kno-"

"Yaomomo!"

Both students turned to see Ashido and Kaminari jump over to Izuku's desk. Ashido slid up to Momo and put an arm around her shoulder, "Did somebody say study? Because we could really use the help!"

Kaminari's shoulders slumped, "We kind of haven't studied at all. And being ranked last in the class isn't something I'm too proud of. So can you guys help us?"

Mina then put her arm around Midoriya too, "Yeah! We can form a study group! We'll surely get good grades with the top two students helping us out."

Izuku heard Bakugou growl at that in the background. With Izuku hanging around and talking to Momo most of the time, that also includes study time. Izuku always thought he was a smart kid and studied hard, but it was an entirely new level with Momo. With all of that time combined, Izuku had engraved more than enough knowledge permanently into his brain.

Which in turn caused his grades to shoot up through the people in front of him. AKA, Iida and Katsuki. And while Bakugou has decidedly not spoken up about it, he was clearly pissed to not only be beaten by Deku in grades, but also not even be in the top 3.

Izuku pondered over the proposal, but Momo answered for the both of them. "Really!? You all want my help!? I'd be happy to! We can do it at my house, and I'll even have Mother prepare the great Hall!"

'_ Great hall!?' _the rest of the group thought.

Izuku watched as others like Jirou and Sero walk over, also asking for help. He might have been roped into this without giving an answer of his own. But first of all, who was be kidding? He was going to help them. And secondly, how in the world could he ever say no to the face Momo was making right now.

...or at all actually.

While Momo was talking to the others, Izuku felt a hand grab onto his shoulder and yank him around to see glaring red eyes.

"Listen Deku, I don't care that you're getting a handle on your quirk. I'm getting fucking sick of all your damn stunts. The Festival, the Hero Killer, and now our term grades. Don't you think for a damn second that you'll hold that position for long. You're going to fall so far behind me that you won't even be able to see my explosions in the distance!" Katsuki than turned to Todoroki a few feet away, "The same goes for you Icy-Hot. I'm coming for you too."

Bakugou yanked his bag up and stomped out the door. Izuku still couldn't help but inwardly sigh in relief that he had left. He might have accepted that Bakugou really isn't his friend. But, he still can't help but feel awful every time Katsuki expresses his hatred towards the Quirk-Inheritor.

Izuku felt breath on his ear, "He's wrong." Izuku turned to see Yaoyorozu whispering next to him. "He needs to get it through his head that you're a better hero than he could ever hope to be," she said glaring at the door Kacchan just left out of.

Izuku knew Momo disliked Bakugou after she learned of their past, but now it seems she grows to hate him with every passing day. Whenever they hear him yell or boast at something or someone, Izuku always sees the suppressed annoyance on her face.

A face that Mr. Aizawa noticed as well.

Eraserhead was peering around the corner of his desk on the floor in his sleeping bag. He had watched the interaction between Midoriya and Bakugou, and then he saw Yaoyorozu's reaction to it all. It seems the terrible relationship between the problem child and the "Explosive Annoyance" surpassed even just the two of them and spread to others.

Shouta has been aware of the growing closeness of Midoriya and Yaoyorozu. He has also been aware of Yaoyorozu's sudden confidence drop as well. He didn't even want to think about the similar issue Midoriya had, and Bakugou clearly wasn't helping if not the cause.

A new idea sparked to life in Aizawa's head.

...he needed to talk to Nezu.

…

**(The Following Evening)**

"UUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH WHY DO WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO THE QUADRATIC FORMULA!? I'M NEVER GOING TO USE IT!" Mina yelled throughout the hall of the Yaoyorozu household.

Yaoyorozu zipped over to Mina, "Mina you got the last few problems correct. You're doing perfectly fine. We just have to review it a little longer."

"Mmmmmnnnnph!" was the only reply Momo got out of the horned girl. Jirou's hand suddenly shot up, "Hey Yaomomo, can I get some help on number 17?"

"I'm a little busy with Mina at the moment. Izuku! Can you help Kyouka?"

Midoriya stood from his seat, "Yeah, don't worry."

As Midoriya was making his way over to Jirou's chair he was suddenly stopped by the Punk Rock Girl. "Oh! Would you look at that, I realized what I did wrong. I'm good Midoriya."

"Are you sure? I'm could he-"

"Nope! Perfectly fine. Thanks through."

Izuku slumped back down into his chair feeling dejected. For some reason it seemed that Jirou didn't like him tonight. Even when she arrived for the study group, Izuku noticed that as soon as Kyouka laid eyes on him her smile suddenly faltered a little. While she may have immediately put it back up, Izuku was far too familiar with fake smiling to know something was wrong. It was too bad that Izuku's attention immediately shifted to how gorgeous Momo looked in glasses.

Jirou was noticing that same thing with Uraraka tonight. Her inclusion in their group was sudden, but welcome. She usually studied with Izuku and Iida, but it seems that with his change of plans Midoriya decided to invite her along. It was just too bad for Uraraka that she chose a bad seat. She was far away from Midoriya, so everytime she asked for help Yaoyorozu would come her way. Kyouka watched Ochako the entire evening like this. She was clearly looking for Deku to come and help her but never got what she wanted. Kyouka decided that she was tired of not only going through this alone, but watching someone else do it too.

Yaoyorozu helped Mina with her final problem and checked the time. "We've been at this for quite some time. How about a break? There is prepared food in the living room for everyone to enjoy. We'll come back in around an hour."

Mina, Kaminari, and Sero were out of the room when the word "food" was spoken. As Ochako walked out the door heading to the living room, she was suddenly grabbed by Jirou and taken into what seemed to be a spare room. "Kyouka!? What's going on!?"

Jirou sat her down on the edge of the large maroon bed, and then sat next to her. "Look, I've watched you going through what I have for weeks now and I can't take it anymore."

"What are you talkin' abo-"

"Midoriya."

Ochako immediately froze up, "What do you mean? What about Deku?"

"Ochako, I can hear your heartbeat. So I know you know what I'm talking about."

Uraraka looked down at her lap and began to fiddle with the pads on her fingers. "Am...Am I really that obvious?"

"No. I just recognized it because I'm in the same boat as you."

"You know what it's like to suddenly realize you like somebody and then immediately have that person clearly like another girl?"

"I'll do you one better. Imagine all of that, except the person I like doesn't even like my gender."

"KAMINARI'S GAY!?"

"WHAT!? NO! MOMO!"

"MOMO'S GAY!?"

"Pfft, I wish. I MEAN NO! I AM!"

Jirou watched Uraraka's eyes widen. "Oh! Oh wow Kyouka I didn't know that!"

"Yeah well you're the only one that does know."

"Really? I'm honored that you trust me enough for that private information. But wait...you said Momo? So...you and I…"

Jirou slumped back onto the bed and finished Ochako's sentence, "Have crushes on someone who likes the other's crush? Yep."

"...Wow." Ochako imitated Jirou's position on the bed. "Why did you decide to tell me this?"

Kyouka blew a raspberry, "I guess I got tired of living through this by myself. Misery loves company and all that. I figured we both could use someone to talk to about this."

Jirou suddenly heard Ochako chuckle, "Is it weird that is actually kind of does make it feel a little better?"

"A little. But who cares at this point?"

Uraraka covered her face and groaned, "What are we gonna do?"

Kyouka closed her eyes, "Absolutely nothing. It's clear that those two are completely head over heels for one another. It's only a matter of time before one decides to hate waiting and pull the trigger. So we don't really have an option but to be happy for them and move on with our lives." Kyouka then laughed. "Unless you want to do spontaneous option B and retaliate by dating each other. You're not into girls too are you?" Kyouka asked sarcastically.

Uraraka chuckled, "I...don't think so?"

Kyouka laughed. "Hahaha! Not a very confident answer. Let's keep that in the 'maybe' column."

Both girls laughed away their sorrows for the evening. Both happy that at least now they had someone to talk to.

…

**(Same Time)**

As the rest of the Study group left the hall, Izuku and Momo stayed back. "Hey Momo, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Of course. Is something wrong?"

"I-I'm not sure. You see...I don't think Jirou likes me."

Momo raised an eyebrow as she walked next to Izuku and leaned against the table, "Kyouka? Why wouldn't she like you?"

"I don't k-know. It's just that these last few weeks I-I've noticed she tends to avoid me and change mood when I'm around."

"Hmm...I was afraid this might happen." Izuku shot her a look of confusion, so she elaborated. "Izuku, Kyouka has been my best friend since the USJ. At title that, seemingly has gone to you. It's not that I don't think Kyouka is my best friend. Of course she is. It's just that...I also see _you _as my best friend. And we have been spending a lot of time together. Perhaps Kyouka believes she is being replaced?"

Izuku did his best to be flattered at the "best friend" comment and not feel like he just got kicked in the stomach. "Do...you really think so?"

"I'm not positive, but it's a likely possibility. I need to spend more time with her. I really have neglected her lately."

"And...do you really think of me as your best friend?"

Momo's cheeks were then dusted red, "Well… y-you're very important to me. With everything we've been through I can only find that title fitting."

"T-Thank you... y-you're my best friend too."

Momo smiled warmly at his and Izuku returned it. They were less than a foot from one another and the golden glow of the sun rays were hitting Momo straight on, and Izuku's mind was once again hammering it home.

'_ TELL HER! TELL HER! TELL HER!'_

"I really like youuuuuur glasses. T-They look very p-pretty on you."

Momo's faced turned into a tomato, "Thank you Izuku. My, you've been quite the compliment dispenser these last few days."

_"NO MINA THAT'S MY SANDWICH! GET YOUR OWN!"_

_"MAMA'S HUNGRY!"_

Izuku and Momo both sweatdropped. "We should go handle that," both said simultaneously.

…

**(One Week Later)**

The students of Class 1-A were standing outside of the testing grounds for the Practical half of the finals. Every student was in their hero gear, and one specifically was wearing something new.

"Wow Yaomomo! You look smokin'!"

Yaoyorozu stood with her "_ Creati: Mark II" _costume on designed by a certain green mop-head. She had "Fushigiri" strapped around her back, ready for it's first real combat scenario. "Thank you. I have a new personal designer who really outdid themselves," Momo said sneaking a glance at a blushing Izuku.

"Alright class, listen up!" All eyes turned to Aizawa (who had Nezu riding in his scarf for some reason) and the rest of the teachers. "The original plan for the finals was to have teams of two go up against one of us Pros. However, Nezu has accepted my new course of action. I've decided to cut 3 teachers from the roster, and make the teams by 3."

Asui spoke out, "But Mr. Aizawa, we only have 20 students in class. One group will be missing someone."

"Actually, we could possibly have 21 after today." The class was all confused for a moment. "Come on out!"

From around the corner of the building came the Purple-Headed Brainwasher Hiroshi Shinsou. "Shinsou here wanted to join the hero course but was put in General Studies. He believes he is ready to try and join us. So, we are considering this his entrance exam. He and his group containing Todoroki and Koda will be facing me."

Aizawa chose these three because all of them needed to learn how to communicate with other people, especially in times of crisis. And Shinsou should have an example of a recommended student like Shoto to learn from.

"The rest of the teams will go as such. Uraraka, Jirou, and Aoyama vs Thirteen." Thirteen can exploit Uraraka and Aoyama's nausea, and Thirteen's quirk can also capture soundwaves from Jirou. Essentially stopping her from over-relying on her quirk.

"Ashido, Kaminari, and Sero vs Nezu." Nezu can outsmart the three with the lowest grades in the class.

"Mineta, Ojiroi, and Iida vs Midnight." All three need to get close to their opponent, and fighting as against Midnight makes that not an option. And Mineta can learn to control his urges while Iida can watch over him.

"Hagakure, Shoji, and Asui vs Snipe." All three need to work on long range and stealth capabilities.

"Kirishima, Sato, and Tokoyam vs Cementossi." All rely on quirks and brute strength alone.

"And finally…"

_"Oh no." _

_"No!"_

_"Fuck!"_

Thought Izuku, Momo, and Bakugou respectively.

"... Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, and Bakugou vs…"

***SLAM***

All eyes turned to the giant hulking mass of All Might standing tall after landing in front of the class.

**"Me!"**


	21. Finals

Momo was actually a little sad that All Might was going to be wearing weights to slow him down during their test. Now Bakugou wouldn't get hit as hard. She was of course only joking... mostly.

She was in the waiting room with Izuku trying to form plans. Kirishima, Sato, and Tokoyami had just entered their testing area. Izuku had attempted to get Bakugou to join in, but all he said was "You can shove your plans up your ass Deku", and then proceeded to leave. So now it was just left to the two.

"I really think the only option we have is to run and sneak past him. This is All Might we're talking about. Weights or no weights we can't stop him head on," said Midoriya.

"As much as I agree with you Izuku, I'm not so sure our teammate will."

Momo watched Izuku slide down in his seat, frustration etched onto his face. "I know but...w-we have to at least try to get through to him."

"But why? Izuku, if we try, and most likely fail to cooperate with Bakugou, he'll be our downfall. We might be a team, but the scores are individualized. We can both pass, and he can fail. He's far too large of a risk for us."

Midoriya knew that Momo didn't like Bakugou. In his heart he hated him too, but he also didn't. He couldn't help it. "Momo, I-I know why Aizawa did this. The whole point of the teams and villains are to set us up to make the chances as low as possible, and for us to work through our problems. Ka-, B-Bakugou is _my _problem, and vice versa. Aizawa knows we can't be around one another and wants us to work together."

"But Izuku we can't just expect it to just work out. Bakugou will _not _work with us. He clearly doesn't have the capability to fix his own issues!"

"T-Then isn't it our jobs as heroes to help those with issues they can't solve?" Momo stopped at that. Izuku's heroic heart was still ever-present as always. "I'm tired of Kacchan too. I just want to get along, but clearly he doesn't want that. I was told that heroes butt into others business and help even when they don't want it. It's not your business Momo, but you can still help. It is my business, so I have to at least attempt to get along with him again. If you want to go ahead and pass the test then do it. I want you to pass. But, I'm going to try to work with him no matter what."

Momo looked at Izuku with almost defiance, but slowly turned into reluctant acceptance. She sighed and rubbed her temples, "Do you have any idea how we're going to pull this off?"

"Honestly I-I just figured I would keep talking until I wore him down enough."

Momo laughed, "Well that's one plan... Izuku promise me something." Midoriya faced Momo with confusion. "Izuku you can't just take anything Bakugou throws at you. You have to show him that you can't just be pushed around."

"Um... I'm fairly certain th-that will just make him angrier."

"Well it's either talk back to him and have him get mad, but he'll be paying attention, or just go with whatever he says making him ignore us and fight All Might head on."

"... he's gonna punch me in the face."

"Probably." She put a hand on his shoulder as Izuku put his head in his hands. "But if we all pass, maybe he'll start to warm up to you," Momo said with all the doubt in the world.

…

**(15 Minutes Later: Test Room #3)**

Jirou, Uraraka, and Aoyama were walking around what seemed to be a lab facility. They had searched around for a while, but they hadn't found a single trace of Thirteen anywhere. Jirou had even tried listening for footsteps but found nothing.

The trio made their way to a large open lobby with a large solar system model hanging from the ceiling. At the end of the room was the large exit door. Jirou and Uraraka smirked at one another. They had not seen Thirteen the entire time, and suddenly they were at the exit...which was under a solar system model...while they were supposed to be fighting the Black Hole Hero.

...They weren't going to fall for this.

Jirou plugged her jacks into the floor, and while faint, she could hear a fourth heartbeat in the room. "They're here. But I can't tell where they are. We're most likely being watched."

"If they're waitin' for us then we can't head out there like this. We'd be sittin' ducks. And the same goes for if we stay here too long," Uraraka said. "We have to get across the room without being seen"

"Mademoiselle." The girls turned to Aoyama. He focused on Uraraka. "You have taken a liking to our opponent as a hero yes? Your knowledge of our opponent exceeds ours. Perhaps you enlighten us on any information that can help us."

"Well, their quirk is almost exactly like a real black hole. Nothin' can escape it. It can even capture light and sound, which explains why they were chosen to fight you two. And I can't get close, and if Thirteen sees me then I'll get sucked up." Uraraka's head was in overdrive trying to think of a way around Thirteen. _'What would Deku do here?'_

Jirou was thinking similarly about Momo,_'How would Yaomomo handle this?'_

"You both are thinking about our classes future star couple, correct?" Both heroine's eyes widened and turned to Yuga. "You, Lady Uraraka are thinking about Izuku Midoriya. And Lady Jirou about Momo Yaoyorozu. Perhaps w Ah!"

Aoyama backed away as Kyouka's earphone jacks pressed against his throat. "Not. A. Word. To anyone. You got that Body Glitter?"

"Oui! Oui! Of course. I was just saying that you two should form a plan together. If you are both thinking of how the two smartest in our class would handle the situation, then together it could benefit us."

Kyouka lifted an eyebrow and looked to Uraraka. Ochako shrugged her shoulders and nervously smiled, "It's actually a pretty good idea."

Kyouka grunted and retracted her jacks back to her ears. "So, how would Broccoli Boy handle this?"

"Well Deku tries to use his knowledge about the opponent to his advantage. Like when he fought Bakugou during the hero exercises. Deku knew that Bakugou would immediately go after him and start a fight with a right hook. Thirteen is tryin' to lure is out. She can easily negate your sound waves and Aoyama's laser. So how can we use that to our advantage?"

Jirou pondered for a minute, but an idea came to her. "Yaomomo has gotten super stealthy now right? And if we can't use sound or light, then we need to get rid of it." She huddled her team together and told them her plan.

Meanwhile, Thirteen was getting tired of holding themself up behind the hanging moon display above the center of the room. '_ These kids are taking forever. At this rate they'll fail due to the time limit. Maybe I should...wait, what's that noise?'_

Thirteen listened to the extremely high pitch echo throughout the room. All glass in the room began to shake, and soon enough all the lights were blown up. Everything went pitch black and Thirteen dropped down to the floor. '_ It's a good thing that my helmet has thick glass or else I'd be seeing blood for awhile. Nice try kids, but you're just as blind as me in this situation.'_

_*Ting* *Ting* *Ting*_

Thirteen listened to the slight clanging noise confused. The more they listened, the more they realized that the noise was coming closer and closer. Then Thirteen realized the noise was right above her, and then it suddenly stopped. Thirteen looked up into the dark and squinted, trying to decipher what was going on.

_*ZZZZZZZNNNNNNNGGGG*_

Thirteen was shocked to see a spark of bright, glittering light appear above her. The shine from the light revealed Uraraka and Jirou riding on the back of a floating Aoyama thanks to Ochako's quirk. Aoyama's belly was facing downward, and was now being used like an orbital laser up in the solar system display.

"Sorry Mon Ami!"

*_ ZAP*_

Thirteen barely jumped back in time. Her finger holes opened up to activate their quirk, but before she knew it a terrifyingly determined and combat ready looking Ochako had landed on her and brought down her arm. Thirteen's other arm was then trapped by Kyouka's jacks and hands. Uraraka pulled out the capturing cuffs and brought them down in Thirteen's wrist.

*_ Click*_

The horn indicating they had passed went off, and emergency backup lights turned on.

"Hell yeah! That was awesome!" Kyouka said high fiving Ochako.

Thirteen got up, "That was great kids but uh, what did you do?"

Kyouka smirked, "I sent out a high pitch frequency to break all the lights. And to find you, we needed to be able to locate you in the dark. We needed something that could reflect off sounds easily for-"

"Echolocation," Thirteen said, finishing her sentence. Uraraka then chimed in.

"Yep! And Aoyama's armor was the perfect tool. So I just floated him up and we used him as a mobile echolocation device. Kyouka just picked up where you were with your jacks."

"That part was my idea, but the rest was Uraraka," said Jirou.

"Yeah well, I guess the credit really goes to Deku and Yaoyorozu though."

"Maybe but...you know what no. No that was us. Who cares about them right now. This was our win." Jirou wrapped and around Ochako's neck. "Come on. I'm in a good mood, so let's go see Kaminari make a fool of himself in his test."

The girls walked away laughing, leaving an underappreciated Aoyama behind.

As Uraraka and Jirou exited the room, Ochako had to wonder. '_ Deku's test shouldn't have started yet. I wonder about Iida though.'_

_…_

**(Meanwhile, At Iida's Test)**

"RESIST MINETA! RESIST HER SEXUAL WHIMS!"

The trio was surrounded by gas. Tenya was covering the holes over his mask to try and keep the gas out, but he could feel his consciousness fading. Mineta had tied his cape around his mouth and nose, blocking off the gas. Ojiro was fading fast. Iida was the only thing keeping him standing. Midnight was sexily stalking her way over to Mineta knowing he was the last of the competition.

She was well aware of Mineta's obsessions. She might as well use her perfect assets to finish the job. And it was clearly working.

Mineta couldn't move. Sweat was pouring down his face like a waterfall. His teeth were biting down on his lower lip, and his eyes were bulging out of his head. '_ That look...she's inviting me. She wants me to try and touch her. I know it's a trap...b-but maybe just a quick squeeze will be worth it!' _

Mineta looked over to Iida and Ojiro. Both were counting on him and he was going to fail. He knew that a lot of the class didn't like him. He had considered Midoriya to be one of the handful he could consider a friend. But, after the locker room incident...he felt guilty. Nezu and Aizawa had already reprimanded him for his actions and words. They had already threatened to pull him from the finals and automatically fail him.

He already had the teachers watching him, but now the ones he considered friends didn't even trust him anymore. '_ Right now I can't fall for her. I might've started this career path for the chicks, but now my love for them is destroying that goal. For now...I have to go by the code! Bro's before Ho's!"_

"_Come _now Mineta, don't you want to come over to little old me?"

"...N-N-No."

"Really? Are you certain you don't want to-"

"N-No!"

Midnight was taken aback, this was unexpected. "Come on, just a little-"

"No. To hell with you woman!" Mineta began to viciously throw his head-balls at Midnight. Some hitting her directly, but she had whipped most with her whip.

"Nice try, but now- huh?" Midnight tried to move forward but looked down to see her boot stuck to the ground by Mineta's quirk. Her whip had caught most of the balls, but that cause it to stick to the ground with her hand. "What the!? No!" She tugged as hard as she could, but the balls wouldn't release.

Mineta ran over to Iida and helped hoist up Ojiro. "Come on! We've gotta get outta here!"

"Mineta that was incredible! You actually pushed back your lewd side for a change."

"Not fully. Let's just say I'm lucky my costume's pants aren't tight. Let's go."

Iida, utterly mortified by what Mineta was implying, helped carry Ojiro out the rest of the way, passing their test.

…

So far, Kaminari's team had failed, Kirishima's team had failed, and Todoroki and Koda has passed. But, Shinsou has failed. He just wasn't ready yet much to his chagrin. However, Aizawa has given him his contact information for some reason.

Everyone else had passed or were taking their test. Except for Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, and Bakugou. The trio were at the entrance to their testing site. The door opened to a large replica of a city, and their test began. Midoriya immediately started his attempt to get through to Bakugou.

"Okay Kac- Bakugou, Momo and I really think that we should-"

"Go fuck yourselves! We're going to toy with him, and once he tires out I'll beat him up!"

Momo scrunched her brow in confusion, "Are...are you serious!? Do you have any idea who we're up against?"Bakugou just grunted and walked faster down the street.

Izuku ran up to Bakugou, "Bakugou! Even with All Might's weights you can't win! He'll destroy us! Please just listen to m-"

*** _CRACK _**_*_

Izuku tumbled backwards holding his jaw. Momo was at his side in an instant checking him over. Both looked up to Bakugou to see him glaring over his shoulder.

"Shut. Your. Damn. Mouth. Just because things are going well for you, doesn't mean you can talk to me like that. Never, ever tell me what I can and can't do. You're nothing."

Momo got up and stomped towards him. "What is your problem!? Are you really so-"

"No! Shut up! I don't give a shit that you're fucking that nerd! You don't get to tell me ANYTHING! I know you've been making sure we avoid one another. He fucking talked didn't he? I don't care what he told you, it's still not your damn business! So stop butting in and get outta here bitch!"

Izuku stood back up, "D-Don't call her th-"

"Shut the hell up Deku!" He turned back to Momo, "You can't even fight Bird Boy, so you have no chance here anyway. I'll do this myself bitc-"

*** _SLAM _***

Katsuki slid back from the group. He brought a hand up to his cheek and winced in pain. He slowly turned back to see Izuku, fist up and sparking with electricity. "I-I...I said...I said don't call her that!"

Sparks popped from Bakugou's hands. His entire body was shaking with rage. "How dare you. You fuc-"

Katsuki was stopped by Izuku grabbing onto his collar. "Stop! J-Just stop! We have to stop fighting! I-I-I'm not going to be a punching bag! Isn't winning more important to you than being against me!? I thought winning was what being a hero meant to you! Can't you see that we have to work together to win!?"

"GET THE HELL OFFA ME! I'll-"

"** SMAAAAAASH!"**

The teens were all blown to the ground by a gigantic gust of wind. All of the windows and buildings in the vicinity smashed to pieces. They all slowly got up and looked down the road. All Might was nowhere in sight. His punch was so powerful that he didn't even need to be close to affect them.

Momo looked to Bakugou. "That. That, is what we're up against Bakugou. So are you going to listen now?" Katsuki growled at her and scoffed. It was visible that he was sweating.

"Tch...fuck off." He blasted himself off down the street towards the source of the blast, directly towards All Might himself. Yaoyorozu and Izuku looked at each other.

"Izuku, are you certain we can get through to him?"

"...I don't know. But he was clearly nervous. We have to keep trying. Maybe we'll get lucky and actually wear All Might down."

Yaoyorozu sighed, "I truly hope you're right."

She hopped onto Izuku's back, he charged up to 8%, and the two zoomed off towards Bakugou...only to see him fly past them and smash into the ground.

"IZUKU LOOK OUT!"

Midoriya turned back forward to see All Might right in front of them, his fist already directed right towards Izuku's gut.

*** _SLAM _***

All the wind was knocked out of Izuku as he and Momo fell back into the ground. "** Wow you kids sure are loud. I didn't even have to search around for you. I could hear you a mile away." **

All Might shot forward with his fist pulled back. Momo created a shield on her arm and jumped in front of Izuku. The hit broke through her shield and sent her flying into a recovering Bakugou.

"Momo!" Izuku tried to run to her, but a large hand clamped down on his head.

"** Turning your back on a villain? How disgraceful! You deserve punishment!" **All Might slammed Izuku into the road guard railing and bent the steel around him. " **There we go! Now to deal with the other two!"**

Toshinori sped off to Bakugou and Momo, but before he got there Katsuki spun around with his hand held up. "STUN GRENADE!" A blinding light kit up in All Might's face. Katsuki jumped at this opportunity.

"How's that feel All Mi-mmph!" Katsuki was stopped by All Might grabbing onto his face. "MMMM!" Bakugou raised his free hand and began sending off consecutive blasts into Toshinori's face.

"** Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Haha! Small blasts like that only tickle! You need to- ack"**Toshinori looked down to see Yaoyorozu putting a deep gash into his leg using Fushigiri. Using his other leg, he kicked her away and then launched his knee into Bakugou's in the stomach. Katsuki was sent flying, and his breakfast from that morning was expelled from his body.

Toshinori turned back to Yaoyorozu. "** Taking away my speed? Smart move hero, but that won't matter in the end!" **He leapt forward and punched at Yaoyorozu. But right before he hit her, she unclasped the front of her costume and created a large blanket. All Might hit the blanket and his fist with the blanket collided with the ground. Yaoyorozu was nowhere to be found.

"** Hm...I heard about your training with Edgeshot. You clearly have picked up some tricks. But it's not enough!" **All Might spun around and backhanded...and hit nothing.

"** Hm? That's odd, I could've sworn that she was behind me." **

Izuku was unraveling the metal from around his body when he looked up to see one of the most impressive yet funny things in his life. Yaoyorozu was standing directly behind All Might, and with every turn Toshinori made Momo copied his movements always in his blind spots.

Izuku knew she couldn't keep it up forever. All Might wasn't dumb, he'd figure it out soon. Izuku needed to distract him. "All Might!" Toshinori turned to Izuku. Izuku busted from the metal and launched at All Might with 8%. All Might was already pulling his fist back.

"** Not fast enough bo- Ah!" **

Momo has used Izuku's distraction and her new knowledge of pressure points to create heavy brass knuckles and jump up and slam down on All Might's shoulder tendon, causing his attacking arm to suddenly fall. This gave Izuku an opening and punched Toshinori across the face.

Yaoyorozu grabbed onto Izuku, "This is our chance. He's slow now! We can get out!"

"Right!"

Momo hopped onto Izuku's back once more and they zipped off. Momo used her costumes bare back to create a riot shield if All Might decided to come after them. It seemed however that All Might wasn't afraid of them escaping.

"** Leaving behind a fellow hero!? And here I was thinking I was fighting the real deal!"**

Izuku looked back to see All Might holding up Bakugou. He wasn't even resisting. He just hung limply from All Might's hand. Izuku saw something he never thought he would ever see.

_'He...He gave up. Kacchan... isn't even trying to fight back. He...He…'_

Izuku spun around on his heel and sped back to All Might.

"Izuku what are you doing!?" Yaoyorozu yelled. She didn't get an answer as Izuku leapt forward and slid under All Might's legs. He jumped up and kicked All Might's elbow, causing him to drop Bakugou. Izuku grabbed Bakugou and started running towards the alleys.

**"Not so fast!" **All Might tried to grab onto Izuku but missed. Izuku thought he was in the clear until he felt weight lift from his back.

He had grabbed Momo instead.

Izuku began to turn back again. "RUN!" He stopped in his tracks to see Yaoyorozu create needles out of her back, poking All Might's hand causing him to drop her. "I'll hold him off just go!"

"But-!"

"GO!" Momo created a flashbang and threw it to the ground blinding All Might for a second. Momo pulled out her sword and stood her ground.

Izuku didn't want to go, but he knew this could be his only chance to do what he set out to do since the start of this test. She was doing this for him. "I'll be back! I promise!" Momo watched him zip into the dark alleys.

As soon as he was out of her sight, Momo's fear crept back into her body. She was all alone now. Izuku was her boost back when she fought Stain. But now she was all alone with her thoughts now, and she felt like she was back training with Edgeshot. Her mind was a complete mess again.

_'What would Izuku do? Just imagine he's here. Just-'_

**"Hahaha! Young Yaoyorozu, you seem to have picked up muttering from the other little hero. But he's not here right now…"**

All Might stepped down his foot, and the ground shook.

**"...and he said he would be back, and he keeps all his promises. So I don't have to worry about watching the exit…"**

Momo was completely lost as All Might strode forward even closer.

**"So it's time to see how you can fair on your own!" **

All Might leapt forward.


	22. The Final Finale

**A/N: The entire last fight is one big reference. Comment if you get it.**

"Let go of me you damn bastard!"

*** _Crack*_**

Izuku and Bakugou tumbled to the ground from the blonde's punch. As Izuku rubbed the back of his head, Bakugou wobbly stood back up. "You God-damn moron! Why did you come back!? We would've won!"

"I-...You gave up. Out of anyone I know, you're the last person I would ever expect to give up. I-I just couldn't see it. I couldn't let it happen."

Katsuki looked at Izuku with complete rage and bewilderment. "The FUCK are you talking about!? Why the hell do you care!? It's an exam! This isn't fucking real!"

"I know! I-I just...you shouldn't give u-"

*** Boom***

Izuku held completely still as Katsuki blasted the wall next to him. He was avoiding eye contact with Izuku. "Stop. Telling. Me. What to do. It doesn't matter. We can't beat him head on anyway."

"But-"

"Oh my god! I'm saying you and your annoying girlfriend were fucking right! This is hard enough as it is, so just take it!" Bakugou walked back to the other side of the alley and sat down.

"Kacc-... Bakugou I-"

"What the fuck is that? Why do you keep doing that!? I already hate the fucking nickname you gave me, but this stupid switching back and forth is even more annoying!"

Izuku rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry. It's just I-I thought it would be appropriate to stop calling you that." Izuku watched Bakugou squint his eyes at him, deciphering something in his head.

"_ She _told you to stop, didn't she?" He watched Izuku squirm on the spot. "I knew she fucking hated me for some reason. Tch, after all these years you talked. I figured this would fucking happen. So when do I leave?"

"W-...What?"

"When am I getting expelled idiot? If you told the vice president of the class and probably Round Face and Four Eyes then the higher-ups shouldn't be long."

"Sh-She's the only one who knows. And...it was kind of by accident. Don't worry, I made her swear not to tell anybody." Izuku said this to make Katsuki stay calm, but it seemed to have just infuriated him more.

"WHY!? WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"I-I don't understa-"

"Stop fucking looking down on me! After everything I've done, here you fucking are! You still try to help me all the damn time! You're holding my entire hero career in the palm of your hand, and you do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT IT!" Your own chick hates me, and yet you still ignore her and fucking stick to me like a damn leech! Do you think I can't handle myself!? Do you think you need to fucking help me!? Damn it I hate you! Why did you come back for me!? Why do you always come back!? Answer me Deku!"

Katsuki got back up grabbed Izuku by the collar, lifting him off his feet. Izuku stared into his blood-red eyes of hatred and confusion, desperate for an answer and angry he doesn't have one.

"Y-...Y-You never give up. Whenever I-I think of victory...I think of you." Bakugou was taken aback. "I-I...I hate you. I really hate you. But if you give up, then my image crumbles. I don't want you to fail, or get expelled b-because I want to beat you fairly. I-I want you to be there when I prove y-you wrong and be the number one hero. I've never looked down on you. I've only ever looked up to you. You use to be everything I wanted to be. I just want to help people. I-I can't help it."

"Just...Just shut up."

"No! No you have to listen to me! I'm not the same person anymore, but you still are. You're still the same person who used to beat me up and mock me. You're still the same person that made sure my life was miserable. But you're still the same person I use to play heroes with too! You're still the same person that wants to be the best! You're still the same person that never gives up, no matter what! I came back because I want to help that person! I came back because I have you to remind me to never give up! I need you to always remind me of why I'm here! But if you'd rather give up than get my help, then you've destroyed yourself and your future before I could ever even think about it! So are you going to give up on this exam? Are you going to give up on being a hero?"

"SHUT UP!"

Izuku was silent as Bakugou put him back on the ground. "You're an idiot."

"I-I know."

"But you're an idiot who makes stupid plans that somehow work. Come on, let's go kick All Might's ass." Bakugou started walking away.

"B-But we need a plan!"

"Walk and talk Deku! This still doesn't change anything! Now hurry up!"

…

**(The Same Time)**

**"SMASH!"**

Momo put up her riot shield, but it hardly mattered. The impact caused her to fly into a replica shop window, crashing through shelf after shelf. The glass cutting her arms and giving her a gash on her forehead._ 'Come on Momo. Think! Think! Think!' _To Momo's dismay, her mind was still a jumbled mess. All Might leapt into the store and picked her up by the foot, swinging and slamming her into the wall.

Toshinori pivoted on his foot and through her back outside into a bus. Momo had barely made a shield from her back in time to soften some of the blow. She tumbled over and onto the other side of the bus.

She was wasting her lipids on these big shields that only lasted a single blow from the hulking mass of justice. She picked herself up onto her hands and knees, coughing up some blood. She could definitely tell a rib or two were broken. Bruises were already forming across her body.

_'So-...So much for holding him off. I'm so useless. I knew I'd choke on the practical. Of course I did. I never even took the exam to enter the school, I was just recommended. How could I ever pass this. I'm... I'm failing. I'm failing Edgeshot. I'm failing myself. I'm failing…'_

All Might marched his way out of the building. "** Hahaha! Can't you see these shields and flashbangs won't help you for long. It seems ****_you _****are the one that's blinded."**

'_ ... Izuku'_

_("-you feel frustrated when you can't. You are improving, you just can't see how amazing you really are.")_

Momo remembered that day. The day Izuku said those words to her. How she yelled at him. She had failed him again that day. She was blind, and Izuku was trying to unshroud her mind. He tried to make her see what he apparently could.

No...she IS blind. And Izuku is still trying to take away the veil she had placed in front of her to this day.

'_ I...I can't do it again. I can't fail him. Not again!'_

Momo looked under the bus to see All Might's feet coming closer. She needed something. Now!

Toshinori reached the bus and took hold of the bottom of it with both hands. He lifted up the bus over his head and laughed, **"Sorry little lady, but even public transportation won't get you out of-"**

All Might looked down to see Yaoyorozu gone. All that remained was...a russian nesting doll?

**"Hm...well I'll admit it's cute. But- huh!?"**

_*Pop* _The doll popped open to reveal another flashbang.

**"Why is it always the eyes?"**

*** ****_Bang*_**

Toshinori squeezed his eyes shut. In his temporary blindness, he couldn't see Yaoyorozu clinging to the bottom of the bus All Might was holding. She dropped down sliced across All Might's bicep with Fushigiri, and pulled out her capture cuffs.

However, right before she could slap them on to All Might, he dropped the bus causing Yaoyorozu to dive away from the scene.

_'Okay, now I just have to...have to…' _She couldn't believe it. She was back to square one again; her mind was a complete mess again.

'_ I-I...I can't...why can't I just know what to do!?'_

_("Yaoyorozu, what was it that you drew confidence from in your first lesson?")_

That same day she yelled at Izuku, Edgeshot had asked that question. And once again it all led back to Midoriya.

'_ Izuku...I-...why do I always need him around to think? Why does he….'_

_(If you can't sort out the feelings right in front of you, right now, then you'll never sort them out in a fight.)_

_("And you really like the color green. Favorite color?")_

_("Yeah, sure. He's totally not your boyfriend. Whatever you say girl.")_

_("Well then Izuku, you can call me Momo from now on.")_

_("T-Thank you... y-you're my best friend too.")_

_…_

_*Sigh* '...Who am I kidding? What's the point in denying it anymore?'_

She thought back to everything. The moment they really talked for the first time. How after that day, they couldn't stop talking to one another. His cute stutter transferring to his texts. His kind pools of emerald he called eyes. The multiple levels of smiles he had, from soft to full-blown All Might. His diamond freckles and unruly hair just adding to his cute handsomeness. His unlimited courage and bravery he held even with a past like his. The trust he puts in her. The way he brings her up just by being there. The affection and closeness he only shares with her. The way he made her entire life feel complete and whole. He was pure of heart and mind.

'_ I-... I've fallen for Izuku Midoriya.'_

**"Glad to hear it!" **Momo is really starting to hate her newfound muttering. She looked up to see All Might recover from the flashbang and stand up straight. **"Too bad that he's not here right now. You're all alone!"**

All Might punched another blast of air at Momo. She created a cloak from her back and swished it over her body. All Might watched as the cloak was hit by the air blast and torn to shreds, but Yaoyorozu had disappeared behind it.

"** Oh come on! How's that even possible!?" **

Momo sat hidden behind a car, but she wasn't listening to All Might. She was having another flashback due to what All Might had said. He had said she was all alone.

_(Someday, you will need to draw confidence and inspiration from yourself. Others cannot always be there.)_

_'I... I've been relying on Izuku too much. Edgeshot told me that the feelings I couldn't decipher right in front of me would cloud my judgement. But now...I can see it. My denial of my feelings for him has kept me distracted of what he does to me. I use him too much. Ever since we officially became friends, I used him as my lifeline for whenever things became hard, even when fighting Stain. I didn't want to believe he was what I depended on because it would cause me to admit what I feel for him. This is exactly what Sensei warned me about. It's... It's what Izuku has been trying to stop me from doing since the beginning. I need to take the confidence he and others have in me...and finally see it in myself.'_

Momo slowly stood up and made her way to the middle of the road. All Might took notice of her, **"Revealing yourself!? The noob ninja here seems to have forgotten her teachings." **

"Actually, I've finally realized what I should have been doing all along!" Momo brought Fushigiri up by her face with both hands. Her right foot forward, and her left foot strong and steady in the back. Her cleavage window glowed blue, ready to create anything she needed. She thought about all the great things Izuku, Edgeshot, her parents, and everyone else had ever said to her. But, for once, she truly believed them.

She still had fear and uneasiness in her stomach. And maybe it was the fact that she was going toe to toe with the number one hero. Maybe it was the fact that she finally admitted her feelings for Izuku to herself. But she had a new fire in her heart.

**"I can see something different in your eyes! Hahaha! A reinvigorated spirit or not, it won't matter!"**

All Might charged forward, but with his weights combined with the gash in his leg he was far slower than normal. This gave Momo just enough time to slash a wide circle around her, launching dust into the air. '_ She's gonna disappear again, isn't she?'_

Once again, All Might hit nothing but air when he got to the dust cloud. **"I'm getting really tired of this disappearing act!"**

"Well then hopefully your not tired of explosions yet!" All Might turned around to see Yaoyorozu half a dozen meters down the street. "I'm very impressed by U.A's commitment to making these cities as accurate as possible. From offices, stores,...even sewer and gas lines," she said slyly, holding up a pin belonging to a grenade.

All Might looked down at his feet to see a sewer grate. **"Shi-"**

*** ****_BOOM*_**

Momo knew that would only distract him for a few seconds, she tried to bolt to the nearby alley until she saw a glimpse of green. Izuku was crouched down in the alley, he put a finger to his lips signifying to keep quiet. Momo nodded and turned back to the task at hand.

All Might walked out of the flames and smoke more annoyed than hurt. **"I guess I'm getting tired of explosions too!" **He shot forward to Momo, but she stood completely still. She didn't want to ruin whatever Izuku had planned. It seemed it wouldn't have mattered whether she moved or not.

"DID SOMEBODY SAY EXPLOSIONS!?" Katsuki jumped out from an alley behind All Might and blasted his back. When All Might turned around at the distraction, Izuku jumped out from his hiding spot wearing one of Bakugou's gauntlets.

"Sorry All Might!" *_ Click*_

**_*BOOOOM*_**

Izuku pulled the pin on Bakugou's gauntlet, unleashing a massive explosion right into All Might. Bakugou then started shouting, "Alright now let's g-"

From the smoke, All Might grabbed onto Bakugou, swung him around and smacked him into Izuku. He crushed both of their gauntlets and then Toshinori lined the two up and punched Bakugou in the face. Bakugou's head whipped backwards and cracked against Izuku's face, both their noses now broken. The duo was sent flying back, only to be caught by a net courtesy of Momo.

The boys stood back up and lined up with Momo. They watched as All Might's eyes seemed to light up. **"You three...it seems you all have taken it up a notch. You even got Young Bakugou to cooperate! Hahahaha! It seems that I'm gonna have to start trying now!"**

_'That doesn't sound good.' _The three teens thought simultaneously.

Bakugou turned to Izuku, "Well that plan failed Dipshit. Anything else?"

"Stop calling him names!" Momo intervened.

"What did I say about telling me what to d-"

"Both of you be quiet." The two stopped their bickering and turned to Izuku. "We have to fight him."

"What!?" But Izuku-"

"We don't have a choice. He's reinvigorated now, and he's blocking the road right to the exit. We're not passing unless we get the arrest. He's been cut up pretty bad, and the explosions are still wearing him down. Not to mention the weights. He's bluffing about how much he's being affected right now. He's far weaker than normal and he knows it."

"For once, I wish you wrong."

Bakugou then butted in, "I fucking hate when you're right."

Izuku looked to the other two, "Momo, you're in worse shape than us, and you're a much better shot. You're gonna have to give us suppressive fire. Kacchan...we're p-probably about to get destroyed."

"Yeah yeah, what else is new. Let's just get this fucking test over with so I can go back to despising you."

Momo undid the clasp of her suit, while Izuku turned around and shut his eyes blushing up a storm, and created a cannon along with ammo. She weakly crouched down next to it, ready whenever they were.

Izuku steeled himself and charged up to 10%, knowing he would regret it in the morning. Katsuki knew his arms were worn down from overuse of his quirk, but he told pain to fuck off and got in position.

"RAAAAAAAAH!" The two charged All Might. Izuku bursting forward at blinding speed and Bakugou firing off like a rocket. Toshinori did the same, clashing with the boys halfway. The teens began to flail punches and kicks wherever they could. Izuku using his finger flicks and new speed to dodge what he could, and Bakugou doing the same with explosions. All Might socked Izuku in the gut, but Midoriya grabbed onto his arm and pulled All Might down. When he stumbled, Bakugou shot up and blasted All Might in the face, sending him back.

Toshinori recovered and tried to launch back, but the boys both dodged to the side and a large cannon ball shot in between the two and hit Toshinori straight in the gut, his wound bursting with pain. Multiple more cannonballs came and hit him. With that distraction, Izuku and Bakugou shot forward and launched All Might high into the wall of a building.

Bakugou shot off the ground like a rocket and Izuku ran up the wall. Both pinned down each of All Might's arm. Izuku pulled out his cuffs and tried to put them on All Might's wrist, but Toshinori busted out of their grips and unleashed a flurry of punches on the boys.

He grabbed Bakugou and slammed his head into the building, and sent a heavy elbow into Izuku's back.

"AAAAHHH!" Izuku cried out in pain. His back was definitely close to breaking. All Might jumped off the building right towards Momo. He landed right on top of her cannon and was about to start his next assault on her.

_'No! She's already hurt! We have to get him!'_

Izuku and Katsuki started to fall down from the building. Katsuki shouted over the rush of wind.

"THROW ME YOU IDIOT!"

Izuku thought that just for a moment, whatever god or gods were watching out there finally showed him pity by letting him literally chuck his childhood tormentor into a fight where he was going to get his ass kicked.

Izuku flipped over and used his feet to slide down the building. Izuku put his hands together like he was bouncing a volleyball and Bakugou put his feet on Izuku's hands. Izuku pushed himself to about 12% and shot off Katsuki like a bullet.

Bakugou, ignoring the pain, set off his explosions behind him, making him even faster and essentially a human missile. "DIE!"

He slammed into All Might, pushing him away from Yaoyorozu. All Might stomped his foot into the ground, stopping their movement. Toshinori then tried to get Bakugou off of his arm by swinging him around into everything from the ground to the nearby walls and cars. Katsuki was hanging on for dear life as his body was beaten and scraped against surface after surface.

"SMAAASH!"

Toshinori turned to see a giant, green electric burst of light shoot off from the building he was previously on, breaking all the windows with the shockwave, and come right for him at breakneck speeds and slam into his face. Toshinori fell to the ground, and all he saw was Izuku punching down on him and Bakugou setting off one last big explosion.

"DETROIT SMASH!"

"GO TO HELL!"

All Might was sent down into a large crater. The boys fell onto their backs, completely worn out. Izuku had put 100% into his big jump, so he couldn't even stand if he wanted to with his now broken leg.

They saw All Might's hand come out from the crater as he tried to pull himself out. "** Good effort…ngh kids...but I...can still fi-"**

*_ Click*_

Toshinori looked to his right arm to see Yaoyorozu attach her handcuffs to All Might, and then to her wrist. She then promptly passed out with the rest of her team.

The horn declaring they had passed went off.


	23. Recovery

"YOU BIG BUFFOON! YOU COULD'VE KILLED THEM!"

Izuku found it oddly satisfying to not be the one on the receiving end of Recovery Girl's wrath. Izuku had just woken up in the nurse's office, his leg wrapped up, a patched up nose, and a pillow under his back. His poor mentor was being tended to and patched up while being berated all at the same time. Recovery Girl had set Izuku and All Might up at the back of the room with a curtain surrounding their beds so Toshinori could revert back to his regular state, which he desperately needed to do.

It was good that Momo and Katsuki were still knocked out because the moment Toshinori had walked into the nurse's office his steam was filling up the room. As soon as Chiyo had closed the curtain around the Izuku and his little area, he popped back into his skeletal state coughing up a storm.

"I'll *_ cough* *cough* _tell you what * _cough*_Young Midoriya. You and your teammates can * _cough* _really pack a punch.* Toshinori barely wheezed out. Recovery Girl handed him a handkerchief to cough into and keep the blood contained.

"Stop moving Toshinori! I've already bandaged your cuts, I just need to check your stomach. I saw those cannonballs hit you." Chiyo lifted up the upper half of All Might's costume and examined his scars. _*Sigh* _"You're lucky that your skin is as thick as your skull. Nothing really changed, but you should ice it for awhile."

"Good. I've taken hits much harder than that to this damn wound. I'm just lucky it won't affect my dinner plans, heheh."

Izuku was still a bit hazy, but he could make out their conversation. '_ Wait...Mom seemed really happy today...and she said that she was going to be out of the house tonight…'_

Izuku shifted his head towards his mentor, "You liar."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"You're going out tonight with my mom, aren't you?"

"What? Of course not. I- yes."

Recovery Girl heard this and decided that it was something that was between these two. She left to go retrieve Toshinori's ice pack. Izuku weakly chuckled, "You don't have to hide it. I was okay with it, remember?"

"I know. And technically didn't lie. At the time when you asked I really wasn't seeing her."

"You still could have said you liked her."

Toshinori stood up and dragged his chair over to Izuku's bedside and sat down. "Yeah, maybe... Hey, how about this. I feel bad for the damage I caused you today, and for not telling you about your mother and I. I was invited to I-Island for a special expo the weekend before your summer camp and I was told I could bring a plus one. How about you come with?"

Toshinori watched as Izuku's eyes went wide and cartoonishly shiny. "I-I-I-I-Island? THE I-Island? The top quirk-research facility on the planet I-Island?"

"I'll take that as a yes." Izuku dumbly nodded. "Hehe, good. I'll pick you up at 10 a.m. next Saturday. Pack about 2-3 days worth of clothes. I'm very proud of your performance today by the way. I can't believe you actually managed to get Young Bakugou to work with you."

"W-Well, he's just going to go back t-to the way he was before."

"Probably. But, he'll remember this. It'll stick with him, and maybe this means he's getting better."

Izuku furrowed his brow. He thought back to what he said to Bakugou back in that alley. About how he still wanted him around and why he doesn't tell anyone about their past. Izuku... wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. He hated that Bakugou wouldn't have consequences to his actions. Bullying can affect someone far beyond bruises and scrapes.

Izuku knew that more than anyone. There were just some things that he thought even Momo wouldn't about him...at least not yet. Bakugou especially wouldn't understand. Izuku knew heroes shouldn't hold grudges, but having someone get off scot-free still wasn't acceptable.

Izuku sighed, '_ Maybe someday...Maybe someday he'll understand what he did was wrong. Maybe he'll understand what his actions can cause. But until then, I guess I'll take what I can get.'_

The green haired boy turned back to All Might, "How's Momo? Is she okay?" Izuku said trying to get up.

"Woah there, she's fine. Recovery Girl just needs to use her quirk on her when she wakes up," Toshinori said easing Izuku back down. "Speaking of which, during her and I's little scuffle said something that I think you'll be happy to hear."

"What?"

"She said that she-...uh, she…she...said that she finally realized what she should have been doing for a long time. I think that means she's found a solution to her confidence problem. At least she's started the process." Toshinori wanted so badly to tell his young successor what he heard Momo say. But, he felt it wasn't his place to say. This was something that the two teens should figure out for themselves. He was just happy that whenever Izuku did confess like he promised he would that it would turn out alright.

"Oh! That's great!" Izuku was happy that Momo had made another step closer to realizing how amazing she was. The curtain swished open to reveal Recovery Girl with her ice pack.

"Ah, it seems you're fully awake now. Give me a second dear." She walked over to All Might and handed him his ice, to which he immediately pressed to his wound and and relaxed. Chiyo then walked over to Midoriya and kissed his forehead. "Okay, how are you feeling now?"

"Tired, but okay. Do you think I can get up now?"

"If you really want to." She helped Izuku get out of bed and take off his bandages. She handed him some gummies and his regular clothes. "You can rest up here for a while longer if you think you need it."

"Thank you. I-I think I'll sit out there for a bit."

All Might stopped him, "One more thing Young Midoriya! Let's keep the fact that you are my plus one to the expo under wraps. You know, favoritism and all."

"I understand. Thank you both so much." Izuku bowed and walked through the curtains. Chiyo turned back to All Might.

"So...the boys mother eh?"

"It wasn't planned! It just... happened."

Recovery Girl just chuckled, "Well good. It's about time you found someone who makes you happy. And a woman to put your head back on right of course. Who knew that this little family would have such an impact on you?"

"Heh...I don't know but…." All Might peeked through the curtains to see Izuku pull up a chair and sit down directly next to Yaoyorozu's bed while she slept. He put his head down and just watched her. "...I get the feeling that life is going to change even more pretty soon."

…

Momo slowly opened her eyes to see a white ceiling, and feel a dull pain on her right side. She felt a dip on the left side of her bed and looked down to it. Her hair was out of its ponytail, splayed across her pillow. Izuku was asleep with his head on the bed next to her arm.

_(I've fallen for Izuku Midoriya)_

She remembered her words and smiled to herself. For the first time since the Sports Festival, she felt light. As if Uraraka had used her quirk on her and sent her up. It was a good feeling. Momo warmly smiled and lifted her hand; she put it down onto Izuku's green and black tufts and slowly moved her hand through them.

She liked his hair. It was just as soft as she imagined _'...The fact that I have imagined how soft his hair was before should have been a clear indicator of how I felt.' _She inwardly chuckled to herself. She nearly had a heart attack whenever Izuku leaned into her touch in his sleep.

"I'm going to fucking throw up if you keep doing that in front of me." Momo turned her head to the bed beside hers to see Bakugou sitting up in his bed. Momo made earplugs and put them in Izuku's ears.

"No one said you had to watch Bakugou."

Bakugou side eyed her, examining her. "He said you found out by accident. The fuck did that mean?"

"...Yubi. A boy named Naides Yubi recognized Izuku in a bookstore we were at. He talked about Izuku not having a quirk and he acted almost afraid of him. He was even trying to apologize. With some of Izuku's habits and how you treat him, it wasn't that hard to connect the dots."

"Never heard of a Yubi."

"He had a finger quirk."

"Oh. Tch, that dumbass. Whatever. I couldn't give less of a shit what you think of me. You just need to realize that none of this is your business."

"What? Trying to cover your tracks? Afraid others will find out?"

Katsuki grunted, "Deku already said he swore you to secrecy. I know you're not going to talk. Just go back to ignoring me. Having to help that idiot gave me a headache."

Momo squinted her eyes at Bakugou, "Why did you help? It certainly wasn't for me. Did...Did Izuku say something to you?"

"It doesn't matter. Our business is none of yours."

Momo turned on her right side to face Bakugou, "As his best friend, it is my business! Do you even realize what you've done to him!?" How that can affect people!?"

"I don't give a shit that you're his girlfriend! It's still none of your damn business. That idiot is fine. He's here now isn't he!? He's gotta quirk now! He never should have gotten in my fucking way. If he had just listened and realized that a quirkless runt like him couldn't be a hero, I wouldn't have had to do shit. But he just fucking kept going and going; he kept getting back up."

"First of all, I'm not his girlfrie-"

"Oh bullshit!"

"And secondly, all he did was copy you! He looked up to _you _of all people. You never gave up, so he didn't either. He wanted to be like his best friend, but his so-called friend became his bully!"

Bakugou shot out of his bed and stomped over to Momo, nearly nose to nose with her. He was glaring straight into her eyes with sparks popping from his fingers. "I. Fucking. Know. He told me. It's not my problem he admired me. All I did was try and teach him a lesson before he got killed. But he kept pissing me off. I. Don't. Care."

"If you don't care, then why were you trying to use your sick idea of help to stop him from becoming a hero? If you don't care, why did you not want him to get hurt? If you don't care, then why did you help him during the exam? I'm assuming he told you all of this when you disappeared. If so, then why?"

Bakugou grunted and looked away. He was rubbing the scar on his hand. The one that looked like Izuku. The one Izuku gave him.

" I believe you didn't care and that you hate him. But whatever he said to you in that alley must have done something. If it didn't, we wouldn't be having this conversation. You could have just ignored us. I don't like you. I don't like you at all. But Izuku still cares for reasons I'll never understand. He'll never have full peace of mind if he doesn't at least try to connect with you again."

Momo didn't want anything to do with him, but Izuku did. She already wanted him to be happy, and now that she finally admitted her feelings towards him, that want has increased tenfold. If finding a way to help Izuku get through to Bakugou was what Izuku wanted...then she had to at least make an attempt. She still wouldn't let Izuku take any more crap from Bakugou, but something was off him. Whatever Izuku had said to him, he took in every word.

Momo heard rustling from her side. The two looked to see Izuku waking up from all the movements Momo was making on the bed. He felt around his ears and pulled out the plugs.

"Um...W-What's going on?"

Katsuki walked over to his bed and grabbed his school uniform off the edge of it. He stomped to the door and turned around. "Fucking listen Deku. Nothing that happened today changes anything. I still hate you, and I'm still going to best you."

Katsuki grabbed onto the door handle and yanked it open. "But...sorry about what I said about your mom. THIS IS NOT AN APOLOGY TO YOU! IT'S FOR AUNTIE INKO!...I got nothing against her. Now fuck off, the both of you." He walked through the door and slammed it shut.

Izuku's sat there in bewilderment. "Uh...w-...baby steps Izuku. Baby steps." He looked over to Momo, "What were you guys talking about?"

"I asked about what made him help you during the exam. I think I pushed too much. I accused him of actually caring about you, maybe I was wrong."

Izuku laughed, "Yeah, that'll do it. But an apology, even if not directed towards me is still something. I'm not expecting a civil conversation anytime soon though."

"Sorry Izuku."

"Yeah... nevermind that. All Might told me about what you said during your fight with him."

Momo's heart immediately skyrocketed. "He...He told you?"

"Yeah. He said that you said you finally realized something you should have for a long time."

Momo relaxed, he didn't know. She wasn't ready for that. She still felt like Izuku wouldn't feel the same. He was so focused on being a hero. It was his dream that he fought tooth and nail for. A dream that the whole world tried to make him forget. She couldn't distract him with her feelings. Even if he didn't share them, he would try to help her because that's who he is.

"I...I realized I should really be listening to you and other people when they compliment me. How could I not believe people who care so much about me like you?" Izuku blushed and looked down. Momo smiled, leaned over, and hugged him tightly.

"Momo! Your ribs!"

Yaoyorozu put her head in the crook of Izuku's neck and wrapped her arms tighter around him. "I don't care," she sighed.

Izuku sat frozen and stiff. The fact that he liked her so much made this hug so much more scary. He should-...

_'I'm being hugged by my crush...I-I'll take it.'_Izuku put his arms around her and hugged back. His face in a waterfall of onyx hair.

"Izuku?"

"Mhm?"

"All Might punches really hard."

"Mhm. But at least we passed. And I think we have it pretty easy for awhile."

…

**(Literally Only One F*#king Day Later: Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall)**

The class immediately sprang off into groups of their own leaving Izuku by himself. He thought he might at least have Uraraka, but she went off with Jirou. Izuku felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see Momo. "I guess it's just you and me Izuku."

"Y-Yeah. I guess so." The two went on their way to explore what the mall had to offer. Izuku found more weights and other workout gear and Yaoyorozu found...and entire organ piano. Izuku decided not to ask exactly where she found it. They went through the food court, chatted for awhile, and were having a good time.

Until at one point, Momo stopped in front of a store and turned to Izuku. "Um Izuku? Would you mind waiting outside for me while I'm in here?"

"Oh! Okay, but why?"

"It's just that... this is a women's clothing store."

"Uh... yeah. And?"

"Um...Izuku...it sells specific women's clothing. Like...ones that go under other items of clothing." Momo said shuffling her feet.

"Oh...Oh!...OH! U-Um y-y-yeah i-i-i'll just go a-a-and wait over by the fountain!" Izuku stiffly walked over to the fountain and sat down.

_'Don't imagine her wearing them. Don't imagine her wearing them! DON'T IMAGINE HER WEARING THEM!'_

"Woah! You're the kid who won the Sports Festival! I'm a big fan!" Izuku looked up to see a man in a black hoodie walked up to him and sit down to his right. He was way too close for Izuku's comfort. Especially when the stranger wrapped his arm around Izuku's shoulder.

"U-Um, yeah that's m- ack!" Izuku couldn't continue because the stranger suddenly put a hand around his throat with one finger lifted.

"It's been quite a while since we last saw each other Midoriya." That voice. Izuku slowly turned his head to look into the cold eyes of…

"Shigaraki."

"Make a move and I put down my last finger. Your final screams will be nothing but hoarse, raspy chokes as your throat disintegrates. You wouldn't want your girlfriend to find you like that. We're just old buddies catching up."

Izuku released his hold on Shigaraki's wrist, "Heroes will catch you. You won't be able to escape in time. If I have to die for that to happen then so be it."

"Oh? That may be true, but how many people in this mall do you think I can kill before they arrive? 5? 10? 20? Maybe more. Perhaps even your little girlfriend in the store over there? She's been annoying me all day. I couldn't get close to you until now."

"...What do you want?"

"See, was that so hard? Be a good player, and won't die today. I'm just here to ask a question. Now...let's talk.

…

"This is so stupid."

Jirou didn't _hate _clothes shopping. She just highly despised it. Usually she just saw something she liked online and just ordered it. But once Ochako finally submitted to Kyouka's promise to pay for everything, rockstar parents make good money, and Jirou saved up plenty, Ochako wanted to get some new clothes.

Kyouka was perfectly fine with that. Especially since Ochako immediately went to the cheapest clothing store in the entire mall. However, that all changed when Ochako decided that she wanted to see Kyouka try on some stuff.

"Oh come on Kyouka! I'm sure it looks great. Come on out and let me see!"

Over the week since the start of the study group, Kyouka and Ochako had made the promise to one another to be each other's rock. Both decided that they needed the other to distract themselves from their hopefully soon to be past crushes. Kyouka didn't think that was going to include being in contact 24/7, but that's how it turned out.

But that also meant she now couldn't say no to Ochako when she wanted something.

So, she begrudgingly walked out of the changing room wearing the clothes she picked out and stood in front of Ochako. "I don't think I look all that good."

Ochako looked at Kyouka up and down. She was wearing black plateau women's combat boots, with matching black leather pants with a silver-diamond studded belt with a matching bracelet, a bright red "HeroZ" shirt going off of one shoulder, a choker with a silver bird in it, and while she wasn't wearing it, she was holding a cropped midriff 80s style white and red leather jacket. The shoulders, front, and the upper half of the arms and back were white, while the rest was red. The colors divided by black accents.

"Kyouka...you look incredible." Ochako couldn't deny it. She was stunning to look at. The black and vibrant red contrasted with her porcelain white skin perfectly. The accessories only added to it all.

"Yeah thanks but, you don't have to spare my feelings. I'll put these back."

"What!? No! Buy them! When you hear me of all people tell you to buy something, you know I mean it."

Kyouka rubbed her arm and shuffled her feet, "Are you sure?"

"Yes! Kyouka, why don't you think you look good."

"I-...I don't know. Would you believe me if I told you that something Mineta said got to me?"

"No."

Kyouka sighed, "Well...do you remember the locker room incident? When that twerp was naming off all the beautiful things about you guys, I'm literally the only one he didn't mention. I'm not even pretty enough for damn Mineta! God I hate that I have to say that. I just...I started to look at the other girls and I realized I'm not... developed, like the rest of you. And I'm a tomboy, and rude sometimes. I guess I just realized I'm not-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Kyouka looked back up to Ochako to see her standing up now with concern on her face. "You might not have... assets, like Momo. But one, who else in the world does? And two, you're absolutely gorgeous."

"I-...I'm not-"

"Yes you are! I can't even begin to count how many things about you that are gorgeous. But your tomboyishness suits you perfectly. And your rudeness towards others is hilarious."

Kyouka smiled, "You...could still try and list off some of the physical things."

Ochako smiled back, "Mineta is a pervert who can't see that bigger doesn't always equal better. Your face is breath-taking. And your body is curvy, perfectly thin, and has sizes that are beautiful and won't give you back problems." Jirou started to laugh at that last one. "Don't listen to that pig. You're Kyouka Jirou. You don't take that kinda crap."

Jirou rubbed her arms and slightly looked back up from her feet, "Are you sure you're not into women? Because you're pretty good at making them swoon."

Ochako laughed and opened up her arms. Kyouka rolled her eyes and accepted the hug. "Thanks."

"Anytime. Now pay for these clothes before I do because I refuse to let you leave without them." Kyouka laughed and walked over to her purse and bent down to pick it up. Ochako looked down at Kyouka as she was bending over. _'Yeah, she definitely looks good in leather pants. Hm? Where did that come from?'_

_…_

"Now Midoriya, answer me this. I hate everything, and everyone. I'm destroying what I hate so much. The U.S.J, the nomu's, all brushed to the side. The Hero Killer does the same thing. But, everything he does overshadows me."

Izuku was confused, "Wait, I thought Stain worked for you."

"The media made it out to be that way, but it's actually not true. We do the same things, but what makes us different?"

"Different?"

"Yes. Why does the media just eat up everything he does, while I'm ignored."

Izuku thought about it for a second, but then came up with his answer. "It's because he's understandable."

"What?"

"The Hero Killer has clear motives. I can understand him because we both admire All Might to high degrees. His methods are terrible, b-but he's doing what he truly believes is right. He's willing to fight and die for what he believes. I can't understand you because you have no goals but destruction. You have no message to send."

About 10 meters away, Momo just walked out of the store and saw Izuku. But, something was terribly wrong. '_ Who is that with Izuku? Izuku looks... terrified. That hand is around his throat! Wait a minute…' _Momo could see shaggy greyish blue hair coming from the black hoodie. She remembered one night that Izuku described to her a villain he knew of the same description. It was Shigaraki. He had the power to disintegrate anything when all...five fingers...were touching something.

Momo looked at the hand around Izuku's throat to see all but one finger touching his skin. _'...No.'_

She needed something, and she needed it fast. She couldn't use her quirk. Someone would call her out for illegal quirk usage, and that would bring attention to her. Including the attention of Shigaraki. Momo saw a small sandwich place nearby. She might not like it, but she didn't have many options right now._'Just hold on one more minute Izuku.'_

…

"I-...I understand now kid." He tightened his grip on Izuku's throat in excitement. "It's all cuz of All Might. The reason you and the Hero Killer annoy me so much. He's the reason everyone doesn't care about villains like me. They all think they can smile because he also has that big, stupid grin on his face. They all think he can save them all! Thanks Midoriya." He could feel Izuku squirming from his grip.

"Hey hey now. What did I say about moving? I'm so happy right now, I might not be able to control my quirk."

Izuku's heart was going thousands of miles per hour now. He looked around for anything to help him, until he saw the most beautiful guardian angel. Momo was around a corner directly to the side of the duo, looking at them. He could see a bread knife in her hand. He made eye contact with her and the two just stared at one another. Izuku slowly and softly used his pinkie on the hand holding Shigaraki's wrist to poke the villains lifted finger. He softly nodded to show that he trusted her.

Momo raised one three fingers, and counted down.

...3

...2

...1

"AAAAAAHHHH" The next thing Izuku knew, Shigaraki was screaming in pain, foreign blood was on Izuku's shirt, a bread knife was embedded into the far wall to the right of Izuku, and Shigaraki's middle finger was barely hanging on to the rest of his hand by a small thread of skin and flesh.

"IZUKU NOW!" Izuku didn't need to be told twice. He boosted up to 10%, twisted around Shigaraki's wrist, and slammed his fist directly into the villains chest sending him through the stone fountain and across the floor. Izuku began coughing and hacking to get his breath back. Momo ran up to him and grabbed onto him.

"Are you okay!?"

"*_ Cough _* Shigaraki! Get hi-" But when Izuku looked to where Shigaraki had landed, all he saw was the closing of a black swirl into the floor.

He escaped.

…

Izuku and Momo sat side by side at the police station. They had each been questioned by the police and luckily made it out with no charges. When they reviewed security camera footage, they declared Izuku's quirk usage to be purely self-defense, and Momo's attack to be a civil service as no quirk was used and no heroes were around to help.

"IZUKU!"

"MOMO!"

Both heads turned to see their parent(s) running towards them. Izuku watch his Mom run to him with All Might not far behind. Each were dressed nice, so he was assuming that tonight was another date night. He was crushed by his mother's hug and soaked by her tears. All Might put a hand on top of Izuku's head. "Are you alright my boy?"

"Yeah. I'm okay."

"Oh honey, I don't think my heart can handle these emergency calls anymore!" Inko said. Izuku hugged his mom back.

"I'm really sorry Mom." Izuku looked over to Momo to see she was being given the same treatment my her parents. "You should be thanking Momo. She saved my life today. W-Well again. She's done that multiple times but she did it again today."

"Oh of course!" Inko walked over to the Yaoyorozus and started to thank Momo for what she did.

"It was really nothing Ms. Midoriya. Izuku would have and has done the same for me. Please, thank my parents for raising me right." Momo said gesturing to her parents.

Momo's mother stepped forward, "Greetings. I'm Yukuna Yaoyorozu. And this is my husband Ritchi Yaoyorozu. We're so glad to officially meet you all. Especially you Midoriya. My daughter has gone on and on about you."

"Mother!"

Izuku blushed and bowed, "I-It's an honor to meet you both. Your d-daughter is my closest friend and I'm honored to meet you. W-Wait I already said that. Sorry."

Yukuna chuckled and whispered to Momo, "He's so cute. I can't wait for the wedding."

"Mother please!"

Ritchie looked over to All Might, "Are you the boy's father?"

"Oh! Uh n-no...just the boyfriend of the mother. I'm Toshinori Yagi" All Might nervously chuckled.

Inko turn around to Toshinori with wide eyes, "B-boyfriend?"

Toshinori froze when he realized what he said. "Well...I know it's only been a few dates so far but uh, I would like to be...I mean if you want to-"

"Yes. I'd be happy to attain those titles." Inko said walking up to Toshinori blushing. The rest of the group decided that these two should probably be left to themselves for now.

Yukuna walked over to Midoriya, "Please take our card. If you ever need anything just call." Izuku took the card and bowed.

"Thank you so much."

"Let's go Momo. I think you need the rest after today. And besides, you have to pack for I-Island."

Izuku heard that and wanted to jump for joy. Momo was going to be at I-Island too. He couldn't say anything without revealing that he was going with All Might, so he kept quiet.

Momo walked over to Izuku, "I'll meet you at the car Mother." She turned to Izuku, "So…'have it easy for awhile' huh?"

Izuku chuckled, "I should've kept my big mouth shut."

Momo laughed too and pulled him into another hug, "Are you sure you're okay? That must have been terrifying."

"I'll be okay. I-I mean I have Creati around to save me don't I?" Momo pinched him for that, and the two laughed again.

Yukuna walked over to Inko and whispered, "They're completely in love right?"

"Oh most definitely."

The Yaoyorozus then went to their car and left. Izuku, Inko, and Toshinori all walked to his car and hopped in. Izuku whispered to All Might, "I think I could use that I-Island vacation right about now."

Toshinori smiled, "Well then, pack your bags Young Midoriya."

Izuku felt like he was in for an interesting weekend.


	24. I-Island Emotional Expo

**"MORNING, IS HERE! MORNING, IS HERE! MORNING, IS HERE!" **

"Uuggh…" Izuku tried to slap the alarm clock, but felt nothing but... facial features. Izuku peeked open his eye to see All Might in his buff form crouched down next to his plane seat. "Were you... pretending to be my alarm clock?"

** "Why yes I was. I thought you might want to wake up and see a bird's-eye view of I-Island before we land." **

Izuku perked up at this and looked out his window to see the giant facility of I-Island in the ocean. "Wow! It's even bigger than I thought!"

** "Astonishing isn't it? So many exhibits, labs, and attractions for all kinds of quirks and technology. It's like one big city as well. Full of restaurants and sites... perfect date spots…" **

"I'm not ready yet."

** "Well when will you be ready!?" **

"I don't know!"

All Might turned back to his regular state and sat down. "Sorry. I understand confessions are a hard thing to do. You really don't have to keep your promise of doing it by the end of the summer."

"No. No I will. J-Just...not yet."

Toshinori twiddled his thumbs, "Well…I might have done a teensy little something to give you a little push."

"Oh no. What did you do?" Izuku asked with dismay.

"Welllll...you know how there's going to be a formal party?"

"Yeah."

"I _ may _ have called ahead and requested that music and a dance floor be added in." Izuku put his head in his hands and groaned. "Young Midoriya you should be excited. You get to dance with a lovely young woman."

"But I can't dance!"

"All you have to do is hold each other and sway. That's what everyone does."

"Ugh...well, I've been meaning to ask anyway. But any tips on how to get taller?" Izuku asked.

"Hm? Why do you want to know that?"

"Because if I'm going to dance with Momo, I at least want to not be staring at the nose the whole time." Izuku grumbled.

"Oh come now, she's not that much taller than you. A few centimeters won't make a difference. Besides, maybe she finds it cute having a smaller companion. Like I do with your mother."

"ALL MIGHT!"

"Hahaha! I'm just teasing you...partially. Now get dressed in your hero costume; we're about to land." Izuku lugged his way to the plane bathroom to change into his costume. Toshinori buffed up and groaned, "I'm going to have to be stuck like this for hours. At least I get to see Dave after all this time."

…

The duo walked through the airport terminal and out onto the main grounds of I-Island. Izuku was mesmerized by the sight. Thousands of people everywhere using their quirks freely to make sculptures, fireworks, tons and tons of street performances. Exhibits and tall skyscrapers were scattered across the horizon.

"Wow! It's incredible All Might! I-...uh, All Might?" Izuku looked over to his mentor to see him take a wide stance as if he were preparing for something. "Um...W-What are you doing?"

** "I'm preparing for the horde of fans. We might get stuck here for a bit." **

"Oh oka-"

"Oh my god is that All Might!?"

"Where!?"

"All Might!?"

"It is him!"

Toshinori turned to Izuku, ** "It's begun. Prepare your defenses! The swarm will consume you if you're not careful!" **Izuku turned to see a gigantic mass of people coming straight towards them. Izuku raised his hands in defense.

"AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaah…. huh?" Izuku looked around to see everyone was running right past him and straight to All Might. Toshinori was signing things and taking pictures as fast as he possibly could.

** "Yes! Yes! I LOVE ALL MY ADORING FANS! IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE A LINE THIS COULD BE MUCH EASIER!" ** He started spastically signing more and more posters and pictures, but then suddenly a group of fangirls got close.

"Can we give our hero a big kiss on the cheek?" They all started leaning up to All Might's face until they were lightly but assertively pushed away.

** "NO! NO I'M AFRAID I CANNOT ALLOW THIS! FOR MY HEART BELONGS TO ANOTHER!" **

"IT DOES!?" The entire crowd said in shock.

** ' ** _ Oh crap!' _ Toshinori thought. ** "UH YES! FOR MY HEART BELONGS TO...UM...JUSTICE!" **

The crowd just stared at him oddly, ** "...PLUS ULTRA!" **

"YEAAAAHHH!"

'_ Oh thank goodness.' _

…

** "Well, that took far longer than expected." ** Toshinori had finally signed his last poster and the fans has dispersed, leaving Izuku and All Might to themselves at the front plaza. ** "Phew! Now that all that is over with, we can finally head over to the main tower. We're going to meet with an old friend of mine, and I'd like for you to come with me Young Midoriya." **

Toshi could tell by the immediate fanboy-ish face that Izuku made that it was a yes. "One of your friends!? Of course!"

** "Wonderful! But uh, I should tell you that while he knows about my regular state, he doesn't know about One For All. Or the fact that you are my chosen successor. So let's keep that on the down-low. Capisce?" **

"Oh yeah, I understa-... wait, w-when did you start saying 'capisce'?"

** "You're mother is going through an Italian food phase." **

"D-Do you really have to make c-constant reference to the fact that you're dating my mom?"

** "Yes I do!" ** Toshinori said slapping Izuku's back. ** "Now, onward to-" **

*_ Boing* *Boing* *Boing* _

All Might and Izuku turned to the main plaza staircase to see a beautiful blonde girl bouncing towards them on an odd-looking red pogo stick.

"Uncle Might!" The girl said bouncing off of her contraption to be caught by All Might pulling her into a hug.

** "Melissa!" **The girl pulled back from the hug, but All Might still held her up.

"It's been so long!"

** "Look at you! You're all grown up!" **

"I'm seventeen now! I'm way heavier than the last time you picked me up, aren't I?"

** "Are you kidding me? Not at all!" ** Toshinori said lifting her even higher. He finally put her down and turned back to Izuku. ** "Young Midoriya, this is the daughter of my friend we're meeting today." **

The blonde walked up to Izuku and held out her hand to shake. "I'm Melissa Shield. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Izuku hurriedly pulled off his glove and shook her hand, "I'm Izuku Midoriya. A first year student at U.A. It's a pleasure to meet you too."

"U.A.? So that means you must be Uncle Might's student."

All Might interjected, ** "Yes. Young Midoriya is going to be an amazing hero one day." **

"Ah, w-well I'm still in training." Izuku paused as Melissa walked up to Izuku and began to examine his costume. _ 'S-She's so close!' _

"Hmm...padding and impact absorbing material...so a power type. Cool costume, a little unorthodox." Izuku was already squirming at the closeness of a pretty girl, but then she decided to give Izuku a heart attack. She took a hold of Izuku's hands and began to rub his scars. "It seems it can't protect you fully. It needs some updates."

Luckily All Might saved Izuku from anymore embarrassment, ** "Ahem, Melissa I believe we should be going to see your father now." **

"OH! Yes of course! Come on let's go! Papa will be so surprised to see you!"

Izuku released the breath he had been holding. He hated how he still acted like that around pretty girls. He found it ironic that he was so comfortable around the girl he actually liked, yet every other girl still caused him anxiety when they got too close. '_ Well then again _ , _ I'm uncomfortable when anybody gets too close. I guess beauty just adds on to the factor.' _

Izuku caught up to All Might and Melissa and headed towards the main laboratories.

…

"Hey Papa! Good Morning Sam!"

David Shield turned around to see his daughter walk into the room. "Well well well, where did you disappear to? Last I checked you were working in your lab and the next thing I know you vanished without a trace."

"Well...Papa you've been working so hard and you've done so much, not just for me but for the world. I thought you deserved a gift, so I brought someone I think you'll be really happy to see."

** "DAVE!" **

David Shield looked past his daughter to see a giant American color schemed sight for sore eyes. "Toshi-...All Might!?" Toshinori rushed into the room and twirled David around. Once David was put back on the ground, he fell back out of shock. "W-What are you doing here?"

** "Melissa invited me here to surprise you!" **From behind All Might, Melissa chimed in.

"Are you happy Papa?"

David seemed to falter for a second, but then smiled. "O-Of course I am! It's been so long since I last saw you!" Both men stood up straight.

** "Let's see, how many years has it been?" **

"Oh please don't tell me. I feel old enough as it is! Haha!" The two laughed together as if they had only seen each other just yesterday.

** "It really is good to see you again Dave." **

"You too, All Might."

** "Oh! I almost forgot!" ** All Might turned around to Izuku, ** "This is one of my best students Izuku Midoriya. I decided to bring him along for the trip since he's a big hero fanboy. Young Midoriya, this is-" **

"You're David Shield! The top scientist and researcher for quirks and quirk technology! You were All Might's partner when he debuted in America!"

Dave sweatdropped and shook the boys hand. "Yep, a fanboy indeed. It's a pleasure to meet you. How do you like the island?"

"It's amazing! But I haven't seen all that much of it yet."

"What, really? Well then I'm sure Melissa would be happy to show you around. Besides, it would give these two old geezers a chance to catch up." David said referring to himself and All Might. Melissa approached Izuku.

"Yeah I'd love to. Come on, let's go." Izuku followed Melissa out the door. David turned to his assistant Sam.

"Uh, Sam? I think you should take a break too."

"Of course sir. I'll see you later." Once the door was closed behind Sam, All Might popped into a puff of steam and emerged from the cloud as his normal self, coughing profusely.

"Toshi! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. It is a little weird though to hear that nickname said by someone else now."

"What do you mean? Who else calls you that?"

All Might rubbed the back of his head. "Well...you see…"

"Wait. Toshi you-...I-...you sly dog! You actually landed someone, didn't you?"

"...maybe."

…

Izuku was astounded by the island. Everything he saw was something he thought couldn't even exist. A diving suit that could go thousands of feet below water, a helmet that can give a near 360 degree view at all times, and so much more. Melissa began to explain how all of these inventions came to fruition.

"Almost all of these inventions were made due to other inventions my Papa patented."

"Wow, you must be really proud of him."

Melissa and Izuku stopped in front of a giant hover-tank exhibit. "Yeah. It's my dream to be a scientist like him one day. I want to live up to his legacy and help the world in anyway I can."

"I feel the same way about being a hero. If I want to be a hero like All Might, then I have to get stronger and hone my skills so I can be the best hero I can be."

Melissa giggled, "You really admire Uncle Might, don't you?"

"Ah w-well, he's been my favorite hero since I was a kid," Izuku said rubbing the back of his head blushing.

"Having fun there Izuku?" Izuku whipped around to see Momo standing right behind him, giving off an...odd, look. He could see Ochako and Kyouka a few feet behind Momo, and they seemed to be finding the situation amusing for some reason.

"Momo!? Um... s-surprise! I-I heard your parents say you were coming here. S-So I thought I w-would surprise you. I see you brought Uraraka and Jirou with you. It's good to s-see you guys." Izuku tried to find a way to explain why he was here without giving away he came with All Might, but it seemed Momo didn't care. She turned to look at Melissa. _ 'Is Momo's eye... twitching?' _

"So, who's this Izuku?" Momo asked. Melissa put out her hand and shook Momo's.

"I'm Melissa Shield, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Momo Yaoyorozu. It's an honor." The two shook hands for an uncomfortable amount of time. Melissa was starting to feel awkward and was starting to feel pain in her hand.

"You uh, have a strong grip there Yaoyorozu." Momo released her hand and took a step back.

"Quite. So, shall we go and perhaps grab a drink somewhere?"

"Oh! I know a great place. Follow me." Melissa started to walk to the doors with the group following her. Izuku walked up next to Melissa, only for Momo to shove her way in between the two, a tight, forced smile clearly evident on her face.

Izuku leaned back and whispered to Jirou and Ochako. "Why is Momo acting so weird?"

Kyouka chuckled, "Dude, you are so freaking dense. How did I lose her to you?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Just give her plenty of attention today, okay?" Izuku backed away even more confused than before. Jirou looked over to Uraraka,

"What did you see in him again?"

"Hey! He's an amazing person. And some people find a little density cute."

"Whatever you say 'Chako."

"Chako?"

"Just roll with it. I'm not gonna stop calling you that."

…

The group found a small outside cafe and all the girls sat at one table while Izuku sat at the table next to them trying to decipher what Kyouka had said.

Momo had to admit, Melissa was wonderful. She was fun, polite, kind, and approachable. Momo never thought of herself as the jealous type before, but once she saw Izuku with her, common sense shut down and envy took control. She felt ashamed of how she acted, but luckily Melissa seemed to take it in stride and acted as if it never happened.

"You really fought the Hero Killer!?" The blonde questioned.

"Well, 'fought' might be a bad choice of words. I was saved from the Hero Killer by Edgeshot." Momo said, keeping up with the original lie.

"Oh come on. With you and Deku there, I'm sure you had to have put up one heck of a fight. Especially with that sword of yours." Momo blushed slightly at the compliment. She just couldn't hate Melissa. Not that she wanted to, but even uncontrollable jealousy couldn't make Momo dislike her. Suddenly, Jirou perked up with her eyes wide. Her earphone jacks were vibrating.

"Oh no. My 'idiot senses' are tingling!"

"That's her way of saying 'Hello Kaminari'." The group turned to the voice to see Kaminari in a waiter outfit standing next to their tables.

"Kaminari? What are you doing-...oh no! Now my pervert senses are tingling too!"

Mineta slid up next to Denki, "I heard my cue. Why hello there ladies."

Jirou grumbled, "Just great, Tweedledee and Tweedle-dumbass. What are you two doing here?"

Kaminari flipped his hands up in frustration, "Can I just get one day where you publicly act like my friend!?"

"No."

"Ugh. Well we found an ad online that said the expo needed workers for the expo. The pay is really good and it's a free trip out here, so we hopped on the chance."

Mineta then chimed in, "Now I can purchase all the dirty things I want." Everyone either grimaced or scowled at Mineta. "What!? Just because I tone it down in public doesn't mean I can't be a perv on my own time. Don't judge me!"

** *BOOM* ** " _ WOW! 33 SECONDS! THAT'S AMAZING!" _

The heroes in the group shot up at the explosion out of instinct. They all ran to the source to see a giant mountain-like area with a timer and scoreboard on a large screen next to it. The crowd was cheering Kirishima down in the pit...only for him to be shoved out of the way by an Explosive Blonde.

Momo groaned, "Oh, you have to be kidding me." Melissa turned to her.

"Do you know him?"

"Unfortunately."

"_ Start!" _Katsuki shot off from the starting platform and began blasting robots left and right.

"DIE!" Katsuki finished off the final bot and landed back down at the start.

"OH MY GOD! 16 SECONDS! FIRST PLACE!" Katsuki smirked at the announcement. He turned around to see Deku and "annoying fucking girlfriend" standing up at the railing. He growled and jumped up onto the rails.

"THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE DEKU!?"

Izuku backed away with his hands up thinking up a quick lie, "U-Um, I just managed to w-win a contest o-online to come here! Why are you here?"

Before Bakugou could scream anymore, Kirishima intervened and slapped a hand on Bakugou's mouth. "They invited him because he technically was a winner of the Sports Festival. I'm just his plus one. But, you won too Midoriya. Why didn't you get an invite?"

"Oh! Uh, m-maybe it got l-lost in the mail or something?" Izuku actually did get the invitation. But he had already agreed to go with All Might by that point. Besides, he felt that he dodged a major bullet by avoiding a plane ride with Katsuki.

"Oh well. Hey, at least you still got here man. So are you going to try this thing out?" Ejirou said, referring to the timed activity behind him. Kirishima was suddenly shoved away by Bakugou.

"It's useless! He can't beat my time. Go ahead and get your shitty results and prove it."

"I- uh…"

Momo suddenly stepped up next to him, "Oh he'll do it. And he'll beat your score too."

"Momo! I-"

Yaoyorozu leaned in and whispered into his ear, "Izuku, do you have any idea how fast you are now? Come on, do it for me, please."

That was it. That last sentence was (hopefully) going to be the bane of his existence for the rest of his life. How could he ever say no to her? Izuku walked forward and hopped down into the pit, and walked into the starting platform.

"Full Cowling: 10%!" During the finals, 10% actually turned out alright. It was only the 12% jump that started to cause his body to ache some.

"_ READY!? START!" _

Izuku rocketed forward into the first few bots before the first second was even over. He shot up the cliffs and hills, destroying every bot in sight. He zipped right through the final robot, wires and robot parts falling behind him.

"_ THAT'S INSANE! 8 SECONDS!? WE HAVE A NEW RECORD!" _

Izuku turned around and looked down at the crowd seats. Momo was looking at him with an amused and knowing smile, one that clearly was saying "I told you so". Izuku was so happy that he completely missed Bakugou stomp away from the site with Kirishima in tow. Izuku "Full Cowled" down back to his friends.

Uraraka bounced next to him. "That was amazing Deku!"

"T-Thanks Uraraka." Then, another voice spoke up behind them.

"Yeah, I'm not even going to try anymore." Izuku turned around to see Todoroki walking up to him. "I see no point in attempting to beat 8 seconds."

"Todoroki!? You're here too!?"

"Yeah. I'm here to represent my father since he couldn't make it."

Melissa walked up to the two, "Not to interrupt. It's just that, I don't know about you, but we girls actually want to look presentable for the party this evening. So I think it would be best that we go ahead and go start to get ready."

"Oh! Y-Yes of course."

The group all began to part ways to their separate rooms to prepare themselves. Izuku was about to leave, but Melissa stopped him.

"Um, actually Deku I want to show you something. Could you come with me to my lab?"

"Oh, uh s-sure."

The two began to walk away together. Momo watched the two from afar leaving. A sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed her temples. She was starting to hate jealousy. It left a terrible burning sensation in her stomach.

Jirou could see Momo's distress from the lobby window of the hotel. She still wasn't fully over Momo just yet, but she was getting better. _ '*sigh* Well Kyouka, if you really want to get over her, then help her be happy with someone else.' _

Kyouka walked out the front door, "Yaomomo!"

Yaoyorozu turned to Kyouka. "Come inside. We're going to make you look smokin' for Midoriya. He'll be all over you tonight!"

"Kyouka! I-I-"

"Hey! Enough lying. I'm your best friend, remember? Well, at least until mop-head came in. Now we just have to prepare you for the storm that is Mina when she hears she was right about you and Midoriya."

…

"Toshi...your quirk…"

"I know. It's not as bad as it seems. I'll be fine."

David spun away from the screens to look at All Might come out of the Medical Analysis Chamber. "Toshinori this is NOT okay! Your quirk is depleting! At this rate it won't even last two more years!"

Toshinori put his pants back on, _ 'And even less if my suspicions about All For One are true.' _He turned around and walked over to David. "Maybe. But believe me, Dave, the day I can't fight anymore won't be sad. The next generation of heroes is far greater than anyone could have ever dreamed of. The world will be just fine. Besides, I'll be less busy for Inko."

David was clearly in disagreement over this, but changed the topic. "Does she know? About you being All Might I mean."

"No, she doesn't. That woman worries enough as it is. If she knew about not only my injuries, but the fact that I'm All Might too, then she might have a heart attack."

"She's going to find out eventually."

"Oh, I know. Not only is she a mother, but a nurse as well. Her intuition has already made the conclusion that something is wrong with me. She can tell I'm hiding something from her. Heheh, but she knows I'll tell her eventually. She's okay with waiting."

David smiled, "It sounds like you found a keeper."

"You have no idea, heheh."

…

"Here we are!" Melissa flipped on the lights to her lab.

"Wow! You have a lab entirely to yourself?" Izuku said examining all of the lights and computers.

"Yep! She's all mine. Come over here." Melissa led him to a shelf in the corner of the room. She picked up a steel black box and took off the lid. Izuku watched as she pulled out a red high-tsch wristband. "Hold out your hand." Izuku did as he was told and she clipped it onto his wrist.

"Your quirk was similar to Uncle Might's, as in it enhances your body. But I could tell by your careful movements that were holding yourself back. And with those scars, I'm assuming you're quirk is so strong it damages your body. I think these will help."

'_ She's so analytical! She's like me.' _

Melissa tapped the center of the wristband and it glowed a bright blue. The band expanded and wrapped it's way up to Izuku's elbow before fully forming back to its solid state. "Woah! W-What is this!?"

"Well I don't actually have a name for it yet. But I heard you call your quirk Full Cowl earlier. So...how about Full Gauntlet. It should be able to withstand your full power."

"Are you serious!? My full power!? I-I can't take this. You should give it to someone who really needs it."

Melissa took his arm and put it on his chest. "Yeah, I know. That person is you."

"B-But how did you even make this? Does your quirk enhance your intelligence or something?"

"Oh, no. I'm actually quirkless."

Izuku froze at that. He looked back up to Melissa. "... Quirkless?"

"Yeah. I get it from my mom. She died a long time ago, but she was quirkless too. She's... actually another reason to why I do this. I want to live up to my Papa, of course. I want to help people and strong heroes like he did with Uncle Might. But, my mom was a scientist too. Papa says she was more brilliant than he could ever hope to be. She was actually the creator of the first Quirk-Suppressant handcuffs. She helped the world too in more ways than one. Being quirkless was rough at first, but then I realized I didn't need a quirk. I could be a hero in my own way, just like my mom. So here we are! I have a long way to go, but I'm getting there."

Izuku was baffled...and yet ashamed. Here was this girl that when she found out she was quirkless, took it in stride and is creating things that could help save thousands of lives if not more. And when Izuku found out he was quirkless…

He broke down. He refused to see any other option in life other than being a hero. He made up a fantasy for himself just to escape his quirklessness. He lived pretending it was possible to be a hero just to forget about his life. He saw his quirklessness as a disease. A birth defect. He thought he was _ born wrong. _

The day All Might told him he couldn't be a hero... was shattering. No, it was a death sentence. Being a hero was all he used to think mattered in life. He thought that without that possibility, he had no point. If All Might didn't stop him and tell him about his quirk on his way home...he wasn't sure what he would've done. Well, he knows what he probably would have done. He just didn't want to think about it.

And here was Melissa, quirkless and happy as can be. Out of all the things Izuku had seen in this island, Melissa was by far the most incredible. Saving lives and living her dream. Izuku was utterly ashamed with his past self.

"Deku." Izuku looked back up to Melissa. She put a hand on his own. "Please, take it."

"...Okay. Thank you so much."

"Great. Now let's go get ready for the party."

…

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!"

Mina had been saying that for the last 20 minutes ever since Momo walked in and said,

** (20 Minutes Ago) **

_ Jirou walked into the hotel room, pushing Momo in. "Alright girls, we need your help. We gotta make Yaomomo hot for Broccoli Boy!" _

_ Mina shot up out of bed squealing, "AAAAAH! Does that mean…?" All eyes turned to Momo. _

_ "...Yes. I like Izuku." _

_ "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" _

** (Present Time) **

"Okay I'll stop. But I still knew it! If I had known this was gonna happen earlier, I would've made you pack a sexier dress Yaomomo."

"What's wrong with this?" Momo said, looking in the mirror at her cream dress. Jirou came up behind her.

"There's nothing wrong with it. You look great."

"Well duh she looks good. She looks great in everything. What Mina meant was that it's too conservative if we're trying to take away Midoriya's attention from Melissa. Chimed in Tooru. "Here, how about we slide the straps to the sides of your shoulders and show off" your-"

"No! We're not doing that! Kyouka, could you please just finish my make-up? I think I've suffered enough embarrassment here."

Kyouka got back in front of Momo's chair and bent down, applying more make-up. "Aaaaaand done!".

Momo looked into the mirror at herself. Her hair was done up in a much shorter and fancier ponytail, some vibrant red lipstick, a dash of eyeshadow...and that's it. "Are you sure you're done? What about blush, or-"

"Yaomomo. You're _ you _. You don't need any of that. You don't even need any of the stuff you have on now. You could just walk downstairs in a trash bag, and we would still have to swim through Midoriya's drool just to get to the dancefloor. Now get your butt up and get downstairs. Well see you down there." Jirou said pushing Momo out the door.

Kyouka walked back inside and pick up her dress, already dreading having to wear it. She looked over to Ochako wearing her red and white dress, her expression seemed...off. Kyouka was pretty sure why.

She finished getting dressed, and her and Uraraka walked out the door. Once alone in the hallway, Kyouka turned to her. "I know. It sucks."

"Hm?"

"Trying to hook up our crushes. It sucks. But I think that's the step we needed to finally end this for good. We gotta move on."

Ochako sighed, "...I know."

"Now chin up. I'm not dancing with a sourpuss." Kyouka wrapped her arm around Ochako's neck, and the two walked to the elevators.

…

Izuku paced around the lobby outside of the main party room. What happened in the lab was still on his mind. He had a pit form in his stomach after that. He just felt so..._ weak. _But he couldn't dwell on it tonight. He should have some fun while it lasts.

_ 'Come on Izuku. Just push it to the side. Tonight your going to dance with beautiful gi-...g-...g-...' _

Izuku watched stunned as the elevator door opened up to reveal an image that will be burned into his mind for the rest of his life.

Momo stepped out of the elevator in a cream flowing dress, her hair pinned up in a way he hoped to see more of in the future, and just the slightest amount of make-up to emphasize her perfect face.

She walked up to Izuku and blushed at the look Izuku was giving her. She got closer and pulled his handkerchief out of his breast pocket and wiped up the slight saliva going down his chin. To which he immediately realized he had and blushed even more. Momo refolded the handkerchief and put it back in his pocket.

She dragged her hand from his pocket and readjusted his bow tie, and smoothed out his blazer. Izuku started to babble.

"I-I-y-you l-look beautiful... incredible...perfect." Momo blushed, smiled, and looked down.

"And you look dashingly handsome as always Izuku."

"...As always?"

She giggled, "Yes. As always."

Momo gauged his reactions to all of this. He... actually might return her feelings. She wanted so badly to say that he did. She was confident that he did. Everything over the last few weeks has given her hope, but she usually brushed it aside. But...calling her perfect. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. So much so that she realized Uraraka, Jirou, Kaminari, Todoroki, and Mineta had all arrived and were talking, but neither of them noticed or even heard them.

_ 'Heheheh...I guess I couldn't keep my eyes off of him either.' _

But, confident wasn't 100% certain. Izuku was never good around girls. Maybe this was just his awkward way of communicating. She just couldn't do it right now. But she knew she had to say something soon. She doubted it would be tonight, but soon. It was going to kill her if she didn't.

"U-Um...Momo? W-Would you like t-to dance at some point tonight?"

"Save me for first in line."

"Sorry I'm late everyone!" All eyes turned to Melissa who came running out of the elevator in a stunning blue dress, her hair up, and her glasses were gone. Momo's heart clenched when after everything that happened in the past 5 minutes, the only thing to take Izuku's eyes off of her...was Melissa.

Momo looked down, a saddened expression on her face. She walked back over to Uraraka and Jirou, who saw her expression and looked back to Midoriya to see where his eyes were. Jirou squeezed Momo's arm in silent comfort.

Melissa walked over to Izuku, "Great suit. You look very dashing Deku."

"Oh! U-Uh t-thank you. You look great as well."

"Wow, only great. Hmph, it's because you know I'm quirkless now, isn't it?"

"What!? NONONONONO! Why w-would that have anything to do with it? I was j-jus-"

"Hahaha! I'm just kidding Deku. I saw the expression you had in the lab when I told you. I just thought I would tease you a bit."

As Izuku awkwardly tried to laugh it off, Momo's entire world was falling apart.

'_ ... Quirkless? She's... she's like how Izuku used to be. No...of course he's grown a liking to her. She can understand him more than anyone. He can relate to her...more than he can with me.' _

She could feel her heart ache and feel like it's sinking in on itself. '_ Tonight couldn't be any worse.' _

** *Slam* **

Suddenly, metal door after metal door slammed down over the regular doors and red lights began to flash.

_ "Emergency Lockdown: Engaged." _

'_ ...Damn it.'_


	25. Dancing With Emotions

"_Warning: Explosives Found on site. All citizens, please stay indoors until told otherwise. All citizens found outside after 10 minutes will be detained."_

Melissa scrunched up her face in confusion. "That's not the protocol for explosives."

Jirou was repeatedly pressing the elevator buttons, "The elevators are down!"

Todoroki raised up his phone and moved it around. "I don't have any signal either." Melissa checked her phone as well, and found that she also had no signal.

"Something's wrong. None of this part of any of the protocols for emergencies."

"Guy!" Izuku said, getting everyone's attention. "We need to find a way to get into the party room. If something's wrong, we should get to All Might."

Everyone but Melissa was surprised to hear that All Might was at the Island, but decided that it was just a miracle he was there to help. "Melissa, is there any way of to the party room from here?"

"Not directly. But that door over there leads to the second floor. The main hall has a glass ceiling over the chandelier we can look down through." She said, pointing to a door near the elevators.

The group filed through the door and ran up the stairs. Once they reached the glass dome the teens looked down over the railing into the main hall. The entire crowd was being held hostage by a multitude of armed gunmen. All Might was being constrained on the stage.

Melissa frantically looked around the room, "I don't see my Papa down there. You don't think they took him, do you?"

Midoriya pursed his lips, "He's the head scientist on the island. It's likely that whatever they're here for, they would need him." Melissa's expression went from worried to panicked and scared.

Izuku turned to Kyouka, "Jirou, I need you to plug your jacks into the floor. I'll get All Might's attention and ask what's going on."

"On it." Jirou plugged her jack into the floor and Izuku started turning the flashlight on his phone on and off again. Once Izuku made eye contact with Toshinori, he signaled the Pro to speak.

_"I hope you kids can hear this. Villains have taken over the tower, and have control over the security system. Even the Pro Heroes are being held hostage, which means the entire island is held captive. You all need to get out of here. It's far too dangerous."_

Kyouka unplugged from the floor and turned to Izuku, "This is really bad."

…

The teens retreated back to the staircase landing. They were discussing what their next course of action should be. Of course, Iida was against any action whatsoever.

"All Might is our teacher and a professional. We should do as he says and try to escape from here. We can't go against his will."

This is the point in time where Yaoyorozu would've agreed with Iida, but this time around she felt compelled to disagree. She was there for Stain. She knew that the law was complicated, but it still felt wrong to her. Momo refused to think about what would have happened to Iida if Izuku didn't intervene.

"We might just be students, but we're the only ones who can help right now Iida."

Iida was surprised that out of all people to speak out against following orders, it was Yaoyorozu. "We don't have our hero licenses. If we fight, it would be breaking the law!"

"Not here it's not." All eyes turned to Izuku. "Melissa? Quirks are allowed to be used freely on the island, right?"

"Well yes, but we've never had a villain attack before. There are no set rules for fighting villains."

Kaminari jumped up, "That's a good enough loophole for me! Let's kick some ass!"

"Now hold on just a minute! We're not fighting!" Iida exclaimed. Izuku stood up.

"Not without a plan we're not. Melissa, is there any way of getting out to find other pros?"

"The security here rivals Tartarus, and the tower is on its highest level of security. It's nearly impossible to leave now. We'd have to shut down the system, and that's on the top floor."

"And the highest floor is…?"

"200."

"Crap." Izuku bit his lip in concentration. "But...it's the best chance we have. If we get the system shut down, we can contact other heroes and get more help. We'll stick together and work our way up through the tower. We'll avoid fighting as best as we can, but if it comes down to it we're more than enough to handle some gunmen. Is everyone in?"

Momo, Kaminari, Jirou, Uraraka, and Todoroki all nodded their heads. All eyes turned to Iida and Mineta, the latter of which was crying tears of fear.

"ALL RIGHT I'LL GO WITH YOU PSYCHOPATHS!" Mineta cried out.

Iida was scowling at the ground, clearly still in disagreement. Izuku spoke up. "Iida I know this is against your morals, but I just can't sit here and do nothing when we have the ability to help. I just can't help it. If you don't want to come then you don't have to, but you would be an amazing help if you did. We need you."

Iida sighed, "I'll... I'll go. As long as it's not breaking the law, and for what happened with Stain."

"Thanks Iida. Okay Melissa, can you tell us how to get to the top."

Melissa raised an eyebrow, "You say that like I'm not going with you."

"Oh! U-Um no, I just-"

"Again, kidding. But I am coming. I'm going to help save my Papa. This is my home, and I'm not letting them take that from me. Now let's go, follow me." Melissa said with determination written on her face.

Izuku was mad at himself for underestimating Melissa for being quirkless. He had almost forgotten just how strong he was. _'I guess I accidentally replaced her with me." _Izuku thought scowling. He was just reminded again about how much stronger she was than he was when he was quirkless.

Momo saw the look on Izuku's face after what Melissa had said. She squinted her eyes in confusion. '_Is...Is he mad that she's going? Shouldn't he be encouraging her to go? I thought he would want someone quirkless to be a hero.' _Momo didn't have anymore time to think it over.

The group started their trek up the stairs. By the time they had reached around the 50th floor, Ochako noticed Melissa was slowing down. "Melissa! Do you need me to use my quirk on you?"

Melissa caught her breath and smiled. "No thanks. Keep your energy for when we need it. I'm right behind you!" Melissa said, taking off her heels and breaking out into a full S

sprint.

Momo waited for her to catch up and turned to Izuku. The same expression from before was on his face. "Izuku, are you alright."

Izuku was startled out of his stupor. "Hm? Oh, U-Uh y-yeah. Just uh, worried a-about Melissa is all."

"Oh...okay then." Momo said downcast. _'Maybe that's all it was. Maybe he's just really cares for her.'_ Momo continued her way back up the stairs.

_*Thwack*_

"Ow!" Izuku turned to see Kyouka had just punched his shoulder. "What was that for!?"

"You'll figure it out someday." Kyouka said running back up the stairs. Eventually the student heroes and inventor made it to the 80th floor, only to find a hatch blocking the rest of the way.

"Oh hey, what about this door?" Mineta asked, opening a separate door on the staircase landing.

Melissa turned around and yelled, "No! Mineta wait!" But it was too late, he had already opened the door. A red light flashed above the door. "During security lockdowns all unlocked emergency doors are monitored. They know we're here now."

Todoroki began walking through the door, "Then we need to make as much progress as we can before they get here. Let's go."

They proceeded through the door and into the he connected hallway. While rushing through the hall, the thick steel doors suddenly began closing down throughout the corridor. Izuku charged his Full Cowl and jumped between the top and bottom sections of the door before it closed. He lifted up the top and pushed down on the bottom of the door with his feet.

"Everybody through! Quickly! The other doors are closing!"

Don't worry! I'll handle it!" Iida said, activating his engines and bursting through the opening. He raced ahead and busted down another door. "We can cut through this area over here!"

The rest caught up to Iida and ran through the broken door to see a wide open area with grass and other various bushes and flowers scattered around. Melissa spoke up about it.

"This is the Indoor Vegetation Room! There's another elevator here! Maybe I can hack it."

"Looks like someone else already thought of that." Kyouka said, pointing to the elevator. The level numbers on the top were moving up. Someone was coming. "Everyone hide for now! We'll see how many there are."

The group jumped into a large collection of shrubs and crouched down. Each teen peeked through the bushes to see two gunmen walk out of the elevator. "How'd those brats reach the 80th floor?"

"I dunno man, but let's just get this over with." The gang did their best to keep quiet, but it seemed their efforts were useless. "Hey! We see you dumb kids! Come over here!"

All of the students eyes went wide. Izuku pulled up his jacket sleeve and hovered his fingers over his Full Gauntlet, ready for action. Momo hovered her hand over the back of her shoulder. The hilt of a replica Fushigiri slowly emerging from her skin. The others got ready for a fight as well.

"Who the fuck are you callin' dumb fuck-face!?"

Only one person they knew had that gruff voice and 'colorful' vocabulary. They looked back through the bushes to see, as Jirou sometimes put him, The Tsar Blonde and Kirishima in suits walking towards the gunmen.

Kirishima stepped in front of Katsuki to explain the situation before Bakugou made things violent. "Excuse us, we were just looking for the party. We kinda got lost."

'_How did they manage to get to the 80th floor looking for a party on the 1st?' _the hidden group thought simultaneously.

Kirishima continued, "So if you could just point us in the right direction we'll be on our-"

The tall rodent looking gunman's hands suddenly became webbed and expanded widely. What looked like air collected in his hand as he swung his arm back. Katsuki ran forward.

"Kirishima look out!"

*_SHING*_

The gunman's attack was blocked by a wall of ice. Todoroki jumped out from the bushes, "We'll hold them off down here! The rest of you get up to the catwalk and try to find a way further up the tower." Shoto formed an ice floor under the hidden teens and boosted them up high on an ice pillar. "Don't worry about us! We can handle it!"

The group reluctantly continued on the catwalk and came to a dead end. They looked around for another way until Momo got their attention. "Hey, what about up there?"

Everyone looked to where Yaoyorozu was pointing to see a maintenance shaft in the ceiling. Melissa perked up at this, "We can get to the next floor from there! But it's locked from the inside, and the ladder can only be released from in the room."

Mineta looked above them to see a ventilation shaft. _'I can squeeze into that and get to the room to release the ladder. I'll be so amazing. Maybe I can land a date with Melissa. I might not be a perv in public anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't try and pursue at least one girl! Alright Mineta, it's time to shine!' _He turned to the group. "Guys! There's a vent up above! I can go inside and get to the maintenance room to-"

Mineta stopped as he looked back to see Ochako use her quirk on Izuku. He floated his way over to the maintenance hatch and punched it open, releasing the ladder. "Alright! Let's go!"

Mineta deflated as his plan was easily brushed to the side by a much simpler solution. He trudged his way to the latter, only to have Melissa crouch down and pat his head. "I heard your plan. That would've worked too. Nice job hero," she said smiling. She got onto the ladder and started to climb up.

Mineta felt his heart soar as his eyes shimmered with happy tears, "There's still hope for you yet Minoru!" He quickly followed his friends up to the next floor.

…

**(130th Floor Laboratory)**

Iida peeked into the lab to see security drones everywhere. "Alright, there looks to be around 30 to 40 of them. We need a plan if we're going to proceed forward."

Denki walked forward confidently, "Uh, Iida, I think we all know who's gonna handle this. Electronics are kinda my thing. Watch a master work."

"Actually, I was going to suggest you Kaminari. Great observation!

"Wait really!? Uh, I mean of course you were. I'm pretty awesome. Right Jirou?"

"No."

"I'll take it! Here I go!" Kaminari bust open the door and charged in. He leapt into the center of the robots and zapped them all. "1.3 million volts!" His attack seemed to have done nothing. "Alright then let's kick it up a notch! 3 MILLION VOLTS!"

"No don't! If you do that then you'll turn stupid!" Kyouka shouted. The smoke cleared to see Kaminari giving them a thumbs up with his idiot face.

"Yeeee."

"Well... stupid_er_. At least he stopped the bots." Kyouka immediately regretted saying that because the bots rebooted and continued their assault.

Momo brought out her replica substitute for Fushigiri, "Plan B it is then!" She and the rest of the group minus Melissa ran forward towards the drones. Momo and Izuku ran together. Momo slicing and dicing bots to pieces and Izuku smashing them to bits.

Mineta was sticking robots together for Iida to collectively smash. Ochako floated up multiple bots for Kyouka to use her jacks to vibrate apart.

Izuku would punch a robot to Momo for her to cut out of the air, and Momo would do the same for Izuku to smash. "You know Izuku, we've been in fights together. But, we've never fight back to back like this. We're pretty good at it."

"Yeah! We should partner up in class more." Momo smiled at the thought. She turned to see nearly twenty more robots coming there way. Izuku took off his blazer and rolled up his sleeve. He activated the Full Gauntlet, and jumped to the bots.

_'Melissa said this glove could take my full power. I'll test drive it with 30% for now'_

"SMASH!" Izuku punched through one bot, only for the rest of the bots to explode from the shockwave. _'Yes! It worked!'_

"Melissa, the Full Gauntlet works perfectly!"

"That great! It's a good thing you brought it with you."

"I-I didn't know how to take it off." Melissa giggled at his confession, and Momo just blew her front bang out of her face. Her and Izuku had fought with perfect synergy, and then Melissa still came in once again to one-up her.

_'I was wrong. I think I can hate her.'_

Melissa turned to Momo, "That sword is so cool! You're like a master with it!"

"Uh...thanks," Momo said. '_Dang it...I can't.'_

Kyouka walked over to Denki who was smiling at a wall. "So...how are we gonna carry this dummy?"

Eventually, they had managed to use Mineta's quirk to stick Kaminari to Iida's back. They continued up further through the tower until they reach the server room. More bots came out from their storage unit. Izuku was about to attack, but Melissa stopped him.

"Wait! If we damage the servers the security could be damaged!"

Mineta shot a questioning look, "Isn't that the point? Don't we want it to shut down?"

"Yes, but there's a chance that instead of shutting it down we permanently freeze it. If that happens we can't shut it down from the main room."

Momo walked forward, "Then we'll stay to defend the servers. You, Izuku, and Ochako should go."

Izuku whipped around at that, "I have many objections!"

"Me too!" Uraraka said.

"Izuku just go! If anyone is getting to the top it's you. With All Might captured and with that gauntlet you're the most powerful person on the island. You have to continue to the top! We can handle it."

"She's right Midoriya. Go on! We'll be fine." Iida said.

Uraraka looked to Jirou concerned. Kyouka smirked and whispered to her. "We'll be just fine. Go. When this is all over, you owe me a dance." Kyouka pushed Ochako away, and the brunette reluctantly ran down the hall with Melissa.

Izuku didn't move until Uraraka started dragging him. As he started to run down the hall, he looked back to see Momo creating a cannon. _'But that uses a lot of lipids, and she's hardly eaten today!' _

"Deku come on! If we stop now this will all be for nothin'!" Uraraka yelled at Izuku.

"Right sorry!"

They kept running down the hall, but it kept repeating in his mind over and over again. He couldn't help but imagine Momo passing out from going past her limit. Being captured by the bots. The gunmen finding her and killin-...

'_It'll be fine. It'll be fine. It'll be fine. It'll-...'_

"Damn it!" Izuku shook his head, spun on his heel, charged up to 30% and shot down the hall back to the server room.

Melissa and Uraraka turned around to see nothing but a green streak disappear from sight. Uraraka shouted, "DEKU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Izuku made it to the server room to see Momo on the ground sweating and tired with Kyouka looking over her. She was out of energy. The bots had already tied up Iida, Kaminari, and Mineta.

Izuku zipped to them and crouched down, "Are you okay!?"

"Izuku!? What are you doing here!?" As they were distracted, a bot was closing in on them. It shot out its capture wire at Izuku. "Izuku look out!"

Before he was hit, Kyouka jumped in the way. She fell to the ground tied up. "Jirou!"/"Kyouka!"

"Just go! Midoriya if you fight you might damage the servers! Take Yaomomo and go! Hurry! Their getting closer!"

Izuku reluctantly picked up Momo bridal style and started his way back to Melissa and Ochako. Momo flicked his forehead, "Why did you come back!? What if we wasted time?"

"I left you behind during finals, and you were hurt pretty badly. I can't and won't do it again. I know you can easily handle yourself, but you've barely eaten today and that cannon was too much. I-I...I was just scared okay."

Momo was so conflicted tonight. She honestly couldn't tell if Midoriya liked her or Melissa. But what she did know was that he cared for her so much that she became his top priority over everything else. She definitely counted that as points in her favor.

They caught up to Melissa and Ochako. Izuku stopped them before they could yell. "I'm really sorry! B-But you can yell at me later. I've wasted e-enough of our time, we have to hurry." The girls silently agreed and continued forward. They made it out to the outside of the 135th floor.

Melissa pointed up high to the opposite wall across a large gap. "We have to get up there! Ochako, can you use your quirk on us?"

"I'm on it!" Melissa wrapped her arms around Izuku and stood behind him, and Momo was still being carried bridal style. Ochako touched them and they began to float up. All was going well until more bots came through where they came.

Melissa looked down at her, "Uraraka use your quirk!"

"No! You guys aren't close enough! I'll be fine!" The bots continued to rush towards her. '_Come on. Just a few more seconds.' _The drones were right on top of her now. Just as they were about to capture her, a large chunk of them were explored off the building.

Katsuki, Kirishima, and Todoroki had appeared to help. "You're welcome for saving your sorry ass you damn nerd!" Katsuki yelled up to Izuku. Bakugou then continued his assault on the robots.

Suddenly, Izuku and the girls were blown off course by a giant outside fan. Todoroki saw this and ran towards one of the closer fans. "Bakugou! Blast this fan towards Midoriya!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Katsuki said. But he still did it anyway. Todoroki blasted his flames into the fan to boost it. The blast of air hit Midoriya back on course. He looked up to see he was about to hit a wall. He was full-handed, and he could hardly maneuver his legs with zero gravity. He couldn't break the wall.

"Hold on!" Momo yelled. Izuku watched as she strained herself to create an explosive mine. She breathed heavily and sweat even more from creating such a small object. She slumped her head into Izuku's chest and handed Melissa the mine. "T-...Throw it."

Melissa took it and threw it at the building. The explosion went off and left a hole in the wall for them to enter through. Once inside, Ochako's quirk lost effect and the trio felt the ground once more. Melissa unwrapped herself from around Izuku only for him to run off up the stairs frantically. She followed him up.

"Deku what's wrong!?"

Izuku reached the hall full of offices and looked down both sides. "There!" Melissa watched him bolt down the hall to...a vending machine?

Izuku carefully out Momo down against the wall and turned around to the machine. "Uh... Melissa! I don't have my wallet! Do you have any money!?"

"... Deku, you're far too innocent." Melissa opened up a nearby fire extinguisher case, picked it up, and smashed the glass of the vending machine. "We're in a crisis. This is the least important collateral damage you could cause."

"T-Thank you so much." Izuku began frantically grabbing snack after snack until the entire machine was empty. He shoved the pile over to Momo and began opening up a bag of candy. He got on his knees next to her and started to help her eat. "H-Here. You need more energy. You've used too much."

"Hah...hah...t-thank you." Momo began eating as fast as she could to gain back lipids. Izuku looked back up to Melissa, but suddenly shouted.

"Melissa behind you!" Melissa Heard Izuku's Shout and turned around to see a guy with a blade arm quirk slash down on her. She jumped away, but the blade managed to cut her arm.

"Thought you could hide from me kids!?" He tried to cut Melissa again but Izuku blocked the blade with his gauntlet. While he was distracted by Izuku, Melissa slammed the fire extinguisher into the back of the gunman's head knocking him out cold.

"Melissa are you okay!?"

"Yeah. It's hardly even bleeding," Melissa said holding up her arm. Izuku pulled out his handkerchief and tied it around the cut.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," Izuku said. Melissa looked back up to him smiling.

"I think you mean 'thank you'." The two looked at each other, and Izuku eventually smiled back.

"Blech." The two turned to the source of the disgusted noise, which happened to be Momo watching them. Momo's eyes widened realizing she said that out loud. "Uh-... these candies aren't good. Blech, disgusting. I'll just...pick something else. You two go on ahead, I'll catch up." She said, awkwardly fumbling around for a different food item.

"I said I'm not leaving you behind again."

"And you also seem to misunderstand the difference between strategically going on ahead to save the day, and leaving someone to die. Which you have never done the latter, and I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Just go and save the professor Izuku."

"But I-"

"Go. Please. We're heroes, remember? Or at least training to be. The lives of everyone else comes first. I'll catch up, I promise." Izuku clearly didn't want to, but he agreed anyway. Like he said, he couldn't say no to her.

Izuku bent away the metal springs in the vending machine, and placed the unconscious gunman inside. He then re-bent springs around him, securing him in place in case he woke up. He kneeled down in front of Momo, "Don't eat so fast that you throw up. And uh-" Izuku turned around and looked at the beverage vending machine next to the normal one. "Uh...Melissa?"

"Hm? Oh right!" Melissa once again used the fire extinguisher to smash the vending machine glass.

Izuku turned back to Momo, "Don't forget to drink plen-"

Momo giggled, "I know Izuku. Go." Izuku nodded and he and Melissa raced off to the top floor.

"You two are so cute together." Izuku looked over to Melissa at her words. "If I had known you two were together I would've taken the hint that I was making her uncomfortable much sooner."

"...what?"

"I mean, I thought she sometimes acted strange when I was around. But, now I understand that I, as a girl she doesn't know, was getting too close to her boyfriend for her tastes. I'm sorry for that."

"...what?"

Melissa raised and eyebrow, "Are you and Yaoyorozu not together?"

"W-Well n-no."

"Oh. I just thought she was jealous. Which is weird saying she has nothing to be jealous about. I mean look at her. I thought she was jealous that her boyfriend was spending time with me instead of her."

Izuku stopped running, "She's...been acting jealous?"

"Well, I thought so. But I guess I was wrong. Come on, let's go."

Izuku started running again, but what Melissa said was still on his mind. Momo's behavior at the exhibit this morning, and how much Kyouka was hinting at something with Momo. She...she couldn't actually like him...right? All Izuku knew, was that he wasn't getting any sleep tonight. Well, he already wasn't due to this attack, but now it was just emphasized.

They finally reached the top floor control room, but something was wrong. They saw David Shield, but he wasn't hurt or tied up. There wasn't even any gunman. He and Sam were just by themselves.

David was at the computer, inputting numbers, "Sam, it's box 756b. It should be coming down."

A lock box was lowered from high up on the walls. Sam walked over to it and opened it up. He took out a suitcase and looked inside.

"It's here! In perfect condition too." Melissa and Izuku looked inside the room at the suitcase to see a headpiece along with what seemed to be large charging batteries. "The villains are holding it down at the party for us, so we should be able to get out of here without anyone even knowing it was us."

David starting walking up the stairs to Sam, "Thank you Sam. I couldn't have done this without you. Now we just need to-"

"Papa?" David turned around to see Melissa and Izuku walk into the room. He couldn't speak. The sound of her voice and the look on her face said it all. She had heard everything.

"Miss, what are you doing here?" Sam asked.

"Papa...is what I just heard true. Did...Did you plan all of this? Is this your doing, just to...steal something?"

Sam spoke out again, "No! You don't understand. We aren't stealing anything. We're taking back what was stolen from _us_. This device can amplify the quirk of anybody without causing any damage. But the board of directors took it from us. They said it was far too dangerous, but we need it."

Melissa couldn't believe what she was hearing, "No...No the Papa I know and love wouldn't act like a villain. Why? Why would you do this?"

David looked at the floor, but then looked back up. "I had to. You kids don't know this, but All Might's quirk is disappearing." He missed Izuku look away when he said that. "This world...this world needs him. Without the symbol of peace, we'll fall. With this device, he'll be just as strong if not stronger than his prime. He can keep saving people. Please, just let me give this to All Might! I don't care what punishment I receive! There's no time to rebuild this! Please just let me-"

"You don't even know! You don't even realize what you've done! Deku and his friends have put their lives on the line for the island! For you! I did too!" Melissa said unwrapping her cut. "Do you even know the danger you've put everyone in!"

"W-...What? But the villains are fake! It's supposed to be an act!"

"Oh it is an act." Everyone whipped around to the front door to see Wolfram at the door with a henchman. "But the real act was fooling you."

Izuku charged up, "You're the boss!" He tried to jump forward, but Wolfram touched the wall, and the metal shot into Izuku pinning him to the wall across the room.

Wolfram walked further into the room. "Sam, the suitcase as promised."

"Yes! Of course!" Sam ran down the stairs and handed Wolfram the invention. David was at a loss for words.

"S-...Sam? You...You betrayed me?"

"You betrayed me professor. You didn't even put up a fight when they took the amplifier. You let them take it. I've been your assistant for years, and if my work goes unrewarded my career was worth nothing."

"You...You traitorous, selfish bastard!"

Wolfram stopped the professors rant. "Don't you worry Mr. Shield, Sam here will get his due reward right now."

*_**Bang***_

Sam fell over clutching his bleeding shoulder. "Wh-...Why? This wasn't a part of the plan!"

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure it was a part of mine." Wolfram aimed the gun at Sam's head.

***Bang* **

Everyone expected to see Sam's head paint the floor, but instead they saw Wolfram tumble over Sam clutching his head. A large dent in the metal on the back of his of his mask. "Grrr...what the hell!?"

Wolfram was sure he had a concussion. He wobbly stumbled to a stand to see on the ground...a bullet?

*_Cha-chink*_

Wolfram felt a barrel being pressed against his head. "I suggest you stay down. Concussions are a serious matter." He turned to see Momo holding a sniper to his head. He chuckled.

"Nice _metal _gun." He grabbed the barrel and…nothing happened.

"Try polymer plastics and rubber bullets." Wolfram looked up to see his henchman being held up as well. Melissa had grabbed Wolfram's handgun when he dropped it when he was shot, and was now aiming it at the henchman keeping him in place.

"Heh...not bad kid. But…" Wolfram suddenly sunk into the metal floor, disappearing from sight. And then David and the briefcase sunk into the floor as well.

"Papa!"

They heard the creeking of metal, and turned to the front door. The saw Wolfram at the front door with the case, David Shield bound at his legs and feet by a metal pedestal next to him, and a sharp metal shard to David's throat. "Sorry, but I need _Papa _to mass produce these machines for a pretty penny. I'll see you all around."

The metal door slammed shut, and Wolfram locked and blocked it off with more metal. Izuku broke free from his metal confinement and ran to Momo. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Here, wrap up that man's wounds." Momo said referring to Sam. Izuku started to wrap up Sam's shoulder.

"Do you know where he's going?"

"The roof. That was supposed to be the exit point. I-... I'm so sorry. I-"

Melissa stopped him, "If you want to somewhat redeem yourself, then when we get that door down go to the main security terminal and shut it all down."

"Y-Yes. I will."

"And Izuku, do you mind uh…" Melissa said gesturing to the henchman she was still holding at gunpoint.

"Oh yeah." Izuku jumped forward and knocked him out, wrapping him in metal bars. "Alright, we have to move now!" Izuku charged up to 50% and punched open the door. "Sam! Get to the security computer! Momo! Melissa! We need to get to the roof!"

"Right!" They all said in unison.

…

Wolfram wobbly placed David onto the helicopter. His concussion was making everything fuzzy. He almost tripped up the stairs multiple times getting up here. "Stupid girl."

"Just kill me."

Wolfram turned to look at David and laughed, "Haha! Sorry but I need you to add a few more sins to your soul first. Then I'll grant your wish."

*_**Crash***_

He turned around to see Izuku, Momo, and Melissa all at the rooftop entrance. "Just great. You're really still trying to save him!? He's a villain now!"

Izuku charged forward, "He's not a villain! And it's our job as heroes to save all who are in trouble!"

Wolfram brought up a wall of steel to block Momo's bullets and shot tendrils of metal at Izuku to slow him down. '_Urgh, my head's killing me! I gotta get outta here!' _He hurriedly hopped onto the helicopter. "Fly! Now!" The pilot followed his orders and took off.

They had managed to get about 50 feet in the air until they felt the chopper shake.

_***SHINK***_

"What was th-guah!" Wolfram jerked forward as the suddenly the helicopter stopped moving forward, and was going backwards. He looked out the door to see a harpoon (courtesy of Yaoyorozu) lodged into the bottom of the helicopter, and Izuku pulling the connected rope down from the helipad.

_'This kid can pull down a damn helicopter!? What's with him!?'_

"Pilot! Hand me your gun!" He took it and started shooting down at Izuku, only for Momo to place riot shields in front of them blocking his bullets. Now the helicopter was only a few feet from the rooftop.

"Shit! This can't get any worse!"

**"Oh it definitely can!"**Wolfram slowly turned around to see All Might and Izuku holding the copter in place. **"You know why!? Because I am here! It seems Sam was a triple agent, because now he's betrayed you by releasing me and all the other pros. And I think I'll be taking my friend back."**

Wolfram used his quirk to seal the door shut. "**I don't think so!" **All Might pried open the metal door, only to be hit a tendril of metal. Toshinori blocked it and looked into the copter. **"Oh no."**

Wolfram had put on the Quirk Amplifier, "Oh, yeah." Suddenly the blades from the helicopter bend down and launch at All Might. Toshinori jumped back only to see the entire helicopter crumple like paper. The pilot being ejected out, and David and Wolfram being lifted up by the rest of the tower's metal. Metal and wires ripped from the entirety of the tower, building up into monstrous mountain of metals with Wolfram and David at the center.

"I heard Dave here, your quirk is vanishing! Why should I be afraid of you!?" More metal tentacles shot up and started assaulting the group. Izuku grabbed Momo and Melissa and dodged around the attacks. All Might tried to hit them back, but they just kept coming, and his form was running low on time.

"HAHA! See! What did I tell ya!? You're weak now!" Wolfram sent one last large wave of metal tentacles, but they were suddenly frozen solid. "What the-!" He looked down at the roof to see all the students from before at the top of the building.

"GO TO HELL!"

***BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM***

Katsuki had suddenly appeared and began to rain down fire and explosions upon Wolfram. "C'mon All Might! Are you really going to let yourself be beaten by such a weak ass boss!?"

**"I'll take that as your version of inspiration Young Bakugou. Thanks for the help." **All Might said, still struggling against the metal. _'He's right though. How dare I be pushed by something so foolish as a limit!? I have to go beyond PLUS ULTRA!'_

Toshinori burst through the metal tentacles and launched up to Wolfram, dodging and punching through other metal attacks. He soared through the sky through all the metal. Wolfram sent a wide barrage of more metal tendrils, only for All Might to smash right through them and jump right to Wolfram.

Right before he could land a blow, All Might was suddenly trapped by wires. **"Nice trick! But it won't-ack!" **Wolfram latched his hand around All Might's throat. '_His strength just increased extremely...does he have multiple quirks?'_

"Now, let's see if this does anything." Wolfram put his hand on Toshinori's stomach injury and squeezed.

**"AAAAAAHHHH"**

"HAHAHA! He was right! I guess his info really is trustworthy."

**"Wait...he? Is…"**

"That's right. When he approached me, I thought he was nuts for planning this. But then he told me about your weakness and your relationship with David Shield. And to top it all off he gave me this fancy new strength quirk. How could I refuse?"

Toshinori's heart sank. All For One really was back. And he was taking action. All Might's worst fears were coming to fruition. Wolfram leaned in closer, "Maybe if I just kill you now, he'll give me a pay raise. Let's take that chance!"

He sent a metal pillar straight into Toshinori's stomach, and then boxed him in with layers of metal.

"All Might! No!" All the teens screamed in unison. Then, spikes from every direction shot through the box seemingly killing All Might.

"DETROIT!" Izuku shot into the sky towards the metal container. "SMAAAAAASH!"

The box broke apart, sending Izuku and All Might falling to the ground. All Might got to his feet, coughing up some blood. **"Young Midoriya, that was reckless. You're body can't handle this."**

"Maybe. But it's a hero's job to save someone no matter what, right?" Izuku said smiling.

"**Hahaha! I guess you're right. Young Midoriya...I think I need your help. Besides, if we try to fight alone and die tonight, your mother will resurrect me and then kill me. So, lend me your aid Young Midoriya!" **Toshinori said, holding out his hand.

Izuku smiled and grasped it. They both stood up and looked on towards Wolfram. The two heroes shot off to the villain. The rest of the teens defending themselves from more metal attacks. Momo watched Izuku run at Wolfram.

At first, she could see him dodge attacks, but the next thing she knew, Izuku put all of his past speeds to shame. While she always described him as a streak of light, now he was _literally_ a streak of light. Fire and sparks trailed behind his green lightning. A cone of fire was in front of him as he shot through metal attack after attack. Lightning arced and snapped at the metal. He was turning the entire metal tower into one large conductor. She had never seen his lightning effect or touch anything but Izuku. She would have to remember that for later.

All Might was progressing with him and blasting through attack after attack. Wolfram's head felt like it was splitting open. His nose was bleeding. The Quirk Amplifier and the concussion seemed to not like each other. He couldn't attack at full force anymore, and the two heroes would tearing through every attack he made like it was nothing.

"RAAAAH!" He built a massive city block sized cube of metal straight at the heroes. But they had a plan for that.

"DOUBLE!"/**"DOUBLE!"**

"DETROIT!"/**"DETROIT!"**

"SMAAAASH!/**"SMAAAASH!"**

A blinding light erupted from there hit, and they pierced right through the cube blasting it to bits. They were right on top of Wolfram now. There light shone through the dust and debris.

**"It ends now villain!"**

"We will save everyone!"

"GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!/**"GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!"**

The two heroes slammed directly into Wolfram, their strength easily overpowering the metal armor and causing a massive explosion. Izuku's gauntlet breaking in the process. The entire island shaking from the shockwave.

Wolfram's assault was over.

…

David slowly opened his eyes to see Toshinori, half his face skeletal. They were on a giant landscape of metal and wires on top of the tower. Wolfram was unconscious and tied up on top of a large pile of metal. "Good. You're up. You have some explaining to do."

"...It's all true. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry. I just... didn't want you to go. Everything you did for the world, what you still do...I wanted it all to stay the same. I wanted the world to stay safe."

"You certainly have an odd way of going at it Dave."

"*_Sigh* _I know. But I finally see now. Up there, when you defeated Wolfram...I saw him. Midoriya. His smile, his posture, his ideals...he's just like you. He...he's going to succeed you one day, isn't he? Just like Melissa wants to succeed me."

"...Yes. Yes he is. I chose him for that reason. He might have a long way to go, but he also has the greatest potential to be a hero more than anyone I've ever seen. He'll be greater than I ever was one day."

David looked up at Izuku. He was at the top of the metal pile with Melissa. She hugged him, and immediately started running down the hill towards her father. Izuku was looking at the rising sun, hope in his eyes.

"Yes. He will."

…

_*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*_

Izuku got up out of his hotel bed. He had to be questioned by police, and he wanted to help with clean up, and had an hour long call from his mother. So it was already night time again. He hadn't slept for over 24 hours, but it seemed someone still wanted him awake. Izuku walked to his door and opened it up to see Kyouka and Ochako holding a tuxedo.

Kyouka shoved it into his arms, "Put this on and follow the trail of flowers. No questions." She then closed the door.

'_By far, not the weirdest thing to happen to me in the last 24 hours...or year.' _Izuku did as he was told and followed the trail all the way to one of the balconies of the main tower. It was perfectly moonlit, shrubs and lilies surrounded them and blocked any outside view, and there was a stereo on a table.

...and Momo looking exactly like she did yesterday. Dress and all.

"Hi Izuku."

"...H-Hi Momo."

"I believe you owe me a dance."

Izuku decided that sleep could definitely wait. He slowly walked over to Momo shaking. She pressed play on the stereo, and an old song called Unchained Melody started to play. "It's not Queen, but it's really good."

She slowly took his hands and put them on her waist. She put hers around his neck, and they slowly started to sway in circles. "Oh! Hold on."

She took off her heels, and continued to dance. "Sorry, I figured you wouldn't want to look at my nostrils the whole time."

"Well, n-now I can look at t-the upper bridge of your n-nose."

Momo giggled, and once again silence took over as they continued to sway. Momo eventually put her head down on Izuku's shoulder and wrapped her arms tighter around him. Izuku nervously did the same to her waist.

"Melissa's a nice girl."

"O-Oh? Y-Yeah she is." Izuku said confused.

"You two would be good together." Momo fished for the answer she was hoping to hear.

"...Why?"

"Well...I saw you look at her a lot. And you seemed to connect with her really well."

"H-Honestly, I looked at her funny because she makes me feel ashamed of m-myself. She's quirkless, but she's so strong and determined. She's living her dreams. But when I thought I was quirkless, I just broke. I felt like I was defective and born wrong. I just-"

"Izuku." Momo had taken her head off his shoulder and looked at him directly in the eyes. "Melissa also lives on an island her father partially owns. She didn't endure what you did. The bullies, society, the real world wasn't there to beat her down. It did to you however. And look where you are now. You just fought alongside All Might and took down a massive supervillain. You're stronger than All Might in that regard. No one else could go through everything you did, and still stand tall. You. Are. Amazing. You're the strongest person I know. And Melissa can never live up to that."

Midoriya wiped his eyes, "Thanks Momo."

"You're welcome. Never think otherwise. Okay?" Momo put her head back onto his shoulder, and closed her eyes.

"I have terrible luck with blondes anyway." Izuku chuckled, referring to Bakugou.

Momo laughed, "Yes. Yes you do."

"Besides. I-I don't think I-I like blondes."

"Oh really? Then what do you like?"

"Brunette."

"Oh." Momo said deflated, immediately thinking of Uraraka.

"M-More specifically black hair." Momo's heart skipped a beat. That...was a really good sign.

But...not tonight. He was still emotionally vulnerable. And even with the now even slimmer chance that he did not feel the same, a confession could ruin this night if it went bad. She could wait a few more days. She'd wait forever it she had to. Hopefully not, but she still would.

She would however, compromise.

Momo lifted her head slightly, and pressed a soft kiss to Izuku's cheek for about 5 seconds.e Which she expected to turn him into a blushing mess, but something far better happened.

Izuku turned his head down, and kissed her cheek as well. A far shorter one, but a kiss nonetheless. Momo broke out in a splitting smile, and buried her face closer into him.

Their dance and Unchained Melody played on a loop until morning. And if they looked on the balcony below them, they would see a punk rock girl and a gravity girl doing the same thing.


	26. Dream Camp

"It was insane! Midoriya was all like, BAM! ZIP! And All Might was all like, HUAH! POW! And then they were both all like, SMASH!"

Kaminari had been like this for the past half hour. Class 1-A was currently on the bus to Summer Camp, one which Kaminari was lucky to even be on due to Aizawa's "logical ruse". The entire bus, minus Bakugou, was intently watching Denki's retelling of the I-Island story. Izuku was now the center of attention. Mina was looking at him from over the back of her seat.

"Holy crap Midori! I was wondering why the tower looked like a giant tesla coil. That was really you!?"

"A-Ah, well I guess. Really it was only due to Melissa's gauntlet."

Kaminari jumped back in, "Gauntlet or not, you were awesome dude! You were on par with All Might! And all your lighting and sparks were zapping everywhere! Consider us Electro-Buddies now!"

The moment Kaminari related Izuku to All Might, Todoroki pulled out a notebook and wrote some down. Iida watched in the seat next to him, concerned about his friend's strange obsessions with his, as Shoto puts it, "Dad Might" theory.

"Speaking of which, do you still have the gauntlet Midoriya ribbet?" Asui asked.

"W-Well the first one broke. But Melissa g-gave me the blueprints and components list to give to the support course."

"Thanks to me, I might add." Momo said teasingly in the window seat next to him. Izuku blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

Kaminari raised an eyebrow, "Wait, what do you mean by that?"

"Izuku was about to just go home without even asking for a new gauntlet. I stopped by Melissa's lab and asked her about it, and she gave us what we needed. Someone was just being forgetful." Momo smiled, elbowing Izuku in the arm.

"S-Sorry. The next day was uh...d-distracting. I j-just kinda forgot. But the support studio said it's way more complicated than it already seems, so it's going to be awhile until it's done. Thank again Momo." Izuku said blushing a bit. Momo blushed as well knowing he was referring to the dance. She knew that was the most perfect night of her life so far. When Izuku walked her to her hotel room in the morning, they didn't really say anything. She had just pecked his cheek again, and went to bed. They haven't really talked about it since, mostly due to what they thought it implied.

If they were close before, now they were essentially attached. Almost everywhere one was seen, the other was there too. Both teens were aware that something was going on with the other. By that, it means that both have a good feeling that the other feels the same about them. But, neither had said anything yet. Mostly because there was just that slight fear of the worlds smallest percentage chance that the other didn't feel the same. And, confidence issues of course (Mostly on Izuku's side at this point).

But to Momo, that didn't mean she couldn't try to lessen her fear by doing things with Izuku and seeing how he reacts. She of course just wanted to do these things on a regular basis anyway. For example, with the dance still fresh in her mind, Momo started to get more... touchy.

Like right now, for instance.

The others turned back to their business and other conversations, so Momo and Izuku started talking again. Momo began talking about a book she recently read, and when she talks passionately about something she starts to randomly fidget with things without even thinking about it. Like twirl her front bang, or drum her fingers, and now very recently she picked up a new habit... playing with Izuku's hand.

So here he was doing his best not to pass out from all the blood rushing to his face and listen to Momo talk about her book as she played with his fingers in her lap. 'Don't say it can't get worse. Don't say it can't get worse.'

…

It got worse. 'Or...better? I mean I liked the finger thing. By worse I meant like the situation can't escalate any more than it already did. So it was good for me. So should I have it can't get better? But that would-'

"Izuku... stop muttering... trying to sleep."

Oh yeah. Why it had gotten "worse". About an hour and a half into the bus ride, Momo had gotten tired and fell asleep...on Izuku's shoulder. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last before his cheeks exploded from blush overload.

Izuku looked over to Uraraka's seat to see Jirou asleep on her shoulder, and the former was just on her phone. He realized that maybe he should just take it in stride as well. 'Hm...who knows when this will happen again? I should just take what I can now.'

Izuku slowly and nervously put his head down on top of her, and closed his eyes.

…

"Izuku... Izuku... Izuku!" Izuku opened his eyes to see Momo standing next to him in the bus aisle. "Good, you're awake."

"Oh sorry. Are we at camp?" Izuku said rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"No."

Izuku raised his eyebrow in confusion. He looked outside to see it was night time and the bus was stopped, and he looked around and the bus was completely empty except for him and Momo. "Then where is everyone?"

"What do you mean Izuku? Why should they be around for this?"

"Hm? Around for wh-?" Momo suddenly stepped in front of his seat, climbed up into his seat, placed a knee on each side of him, and lowered herself onto his lap straddling him.

"A-A-A-Ah Momo what are you doing!?"

Momo just giggled and took his hands and placed them around her waist. "What's wrong Izuku?" She asked sultrily. "Don't you want to?" She began to slowly unbutton her white school shirt, and gyrate her hips down into Izuku.

"I-I-I-" Izuku couldn't move or speak. All of his basic motor functions just shut down on him.

"Shh." Momo said placing a finger on his lips. She brought her hand back and slightly opened up her shirt to show just the brim of a crimson red bra. She placed her hands on his chest, leaned into Izuku's ear, and nibbled on his earlobe. Then she softly whispered.

"Izuku, first I'm going to kiss you, and get these clothes off. And then, we're going to make love all night long until we pass out. And then, when we wake up, we'll wake up, and wake up, and wake up, and wake up, and-

"Wake up!"

"AAAH!" Izuku shot awake in his seat, his heart pounding in his chest and his breaths sporadic. He looked up to see Iida standing over him.

"Ah, you're finally awake sleepyhead. We've made a stop for everyone to stretch their legs. Please, wake up Yaoyorozu and head outside with the others."

"Uh...Y-Yeah. Y-Yeah, okay." Iida walked away and out the bus. Izuku slowly turned to Momo who was rousing from sleep on his shoulder.

"Mmmm...Why is Iida so loud? I heard what he said; c'mon Izuku, let's go." She said standing up and stretching. She raised her arms up and her back forward. Izuku quickly averted his eyes from her chest and shot out of his seat.

"Y-Yeah I-I'll see you outside!" He rushed out the bus doors before Momo could say anything. He got outside, crouched down, and put his head in hands.

It wasn't like this was the first time this has happened. He was a teenager after all, he couldn't help it. It was just natural. But that was absolutely the most vivid and realistic one he had ever had. Usually they were foggy, or hard to remember. Or they were really weird, like they were... doing things...on a neon pink cloud in space...Not that he actually dreamed that...just uh...just a random example... yeah.

But, this one felt real. These dreams were becoming more and more frequent, and more and more vivid.

'I don't know how much more of this I can take. It's like my body is trying to force me to confess. Maybe... Maybe I should just cut my losses and do it.'

"Izuku?" Izuku shot up and around to face Momo. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah! Yeah, just uh... stretching my legs." Momo seemed to believe him and walked towards the girls. Of course, not without brushing her hand across his arm as she passed.

'...This woman is trying to kill me. Phew, okay. Keep it together Izuku. You can take your time with this whole confession thing. No need to do anything rash.'

Aizawa then called out to his students, "Everyone come over here!" Izuku turned to see something he definitely wasn't expecting.

"Bring your gazes to our rockin' poses!"

"So stunningly cute and catlike!"

The two women struck their poses and simultaneously chanted, "We're the Wild Wild Pussycats!" Everyone watched in silence while the two heroines tried to keep their poses. Oddly enough, the weirdest part about it was that they had a little kid with them.

"These are the Pros that will be helping you with your training." Shouta said monotone.

As soon as Izuku realized who they were, he immediately started gushing. "Oh my gosh! The Wild Wild Pussycats! They're the rescue hero team that debuted back when we were kids a long time ag-buh!" Izuku was stopped by a giant padded paw slapped onto his face.

Pixie-Bob slowly leaned in menacingly, "I think you must be mistaken. I'm 18 at heart. Now you wanna try again?"

"Eigffteeph." Izuku said, muffled by the paw.

"Thank you."

Mandalay walked over to the railing overlooking the forest. "This entire area is our territory. And your lodge is over at the foot of that mountain." Mandalay pointed towards a mountain miles and miles away. "Whoever doesn't get there before noon doesn't get lunch."

"Wait, what?" The entire class questioned.

"Pixie-Bob?"

"On it!" The blue-uniformed cat-girl of the Pussycats placed her hands down on the ground, and the cliffside started to shake.

Kaminari spun on his heel and bolted, "EVERYONE BACK TO THE BUS! RUN FOR IT!" But it was too late. The cliff was already falling out from under their feet.

Izuku made eye contact with Momo, and both knew what to do. As the rocks gave way, Izuku shot forward at 10% and took hold of Momo, a shield already popping from Momo's arm. He jumped forward off the cliff and landed down. Momo lifted up her shield over their heads and deflected off all rocks and debris falling from overhead.

Momo chuckled, "We're getting pretty good at this. But, some of Mr. Aizawa's methods are getting on my nerves."

"Tell me about it. I-I doubt w-we're even close to done though." Izuku let her go and went to help up the rest of the class.

Momo knew Izuku was probably right. This wasn't just going to be a hike through the forest. Luckily, it seemed Mr. Aizawa felt generous today.

"Yaoyorozu!" She looked up back to the top of the cliffside to see Aizawa had taken Fushigiri out of the bus luggage compartments. "You might need this!" He tossed it down the mountain.

"Ah!" Momo rushed forward and caught it by the red wooden sheathe. "This was a gift! I would appreciate it if you didn't throw it plea- and he's gone." And she was right, Shouta has already walked away from the cliff and was back on the bus.

Momo huffed and tied the sheathe to her back by it's rope. She brought her hand up behind her shoulder to the hilt, and pulled Fushigiri out from its home. Yaoyorozu looked back to her class to see Izuku staring at her. "What?"

"Oh! Uh, s-sorry. I just... forgot how cool you look with that."

Momo blushed, "Well, thank you."

"Alright lovebirds, enough goo goo eyes. Let's get to the lodge before you give us all diabetes with how sweet you are," Kyouka said walking by.

At this point, both teens were used to those kind of comments directed towards them. So, they decided to head out with the class.

That is, until the ground started attacking them.

Dirt and rock suddenly took form. Coarse and earthy creatures appearing from everywhere. Izuku decided to elaborate. "This is a part of Pixie-Bob's quirk! She can manipulate the ground to do whatever she wants!"

Kirishima stared on in shock, "That doesn't sound like 'making monsters' would be in her list of skills!"

Izuku looked to Momo and then back to the monsters. "Y-You wanna…?"

"Yes. Yes I do." Momo replied, knowing he meant "work together". The two shot forward first out of there class. Izuku jumped at the first giant four-legged monster of the horde. He pulled back his fist, ready to slam down, until…

...all of the monster's legs suddenly sliced in half. It fell to the ground and turned back into normal dirt. Izuku looked past the pile to see Momo on the other side.

"I-I didn't even see you!"

"Sorry. I've been practicing that one for awhile."

*BAM*

A giant monster with giant clumps of dirt for hands suddenly slammed down on top of Momo. It lifted its hands to see... nothing?

And then it's head was on the ground, and like it's other dirt companion it fell to the ground.

Momo walked out from behind the second dirt pile. "And that one."

Izuku laughed. 'She's really taking her shinobi training seriously. Not that I'm complaining. A ninja girlfriend would be aweso-Stop! Just wait brain. Just a little longer. I'll do it soon.' Izuku shook his head and continued on throughout the forest.

More and more Earth-Monsters rose up and came at the class. They fought their way through the forest. At one point Momo created a grenade and tossed it to Izuku. He charged the monster, jumped inside its mouth, pulled the pin and left it there. He jumped out at the explosion.

That was a great highlight for him. And maybe, just maybe, the part where the bottom three-fourths of Momo's buttons came undone when she made another cannon. He definitely wasn't looking at her toned stomach. Not at all.

'Uugh...what is wrong with me!? Why am I turning into the new Mineta!?'

The real problem was that he already knew the answer. This was his mind telling him it was tired of keeping it all in. Balling up all these emotions was taking its toll on him, and the increase in frequency of the thoughts and dreams was his only outlet. But it wasn't enough.

He needed to say something. But how? He couldn't just walk up to her and say it! 'Or...could I? No. There needs to be a right time. Somewhere we're alone, and somewhere where no one can see me die of embarrassment and tears when she is disgusted and cuts our friendship in two. No! IF Izuku! Not WHEN! Happy thoughts, happy thoughts...why can I not think happy thoughts!?'

Izuku looked back over to Momo. A dirt monster backhanded her up into the trees...only for her to jump back down on the opposite side of the beast, and cut it in half. She stood back up, scuff and dirt on various parts of her body. The bottom half of her buttons still undone and waving in the wind. Sword in one hand, shield in the other, sheathe on her back. The sunbeams shine through the trees directly on her. She was the most beautiful and badass thing he had ever laid eyes on.

'...I am so screwed.'

...

(5:20 p.m. WWP Mountain Lodge)

The students finally made it to the lodge. All were tired and dirty from the battles. Poor Kaminari was in his stupid state being dragged on the ground by Kirishima. Aizawa, Mandalay, and Pixie-Bob were all waiting for them at the front of the lodge.

Pixie-Bob greeted them first, "Welcome! Sorry about the time, we calculated how long it would take for us to finish, not you guys. Although, some were showing some great teamwork and definitely slowing down their pace so that they could stay with the group. They were powerful enough to get here at least an hour ago. Specifically…" She slowly pointed to Izuku. "You!"

She jumped forward to him, "I CLAIM HIM! I PROMISE TO GROOM HIM MYSELF!"

Izuku put up his arms to protect himself, but after a few seconds he felt nothing. He slowly opened up an eye to see Pixie-Bob has stopped...and was smelling him.

"Hmm...it seems you've already been claimed. What a shame. It would've been a fun three years grooming you to be my husband. BUT!" She turned over to Iida, Bakugou, and Todoroki. "YOU THREE ARE RIPE FOR THE TAKING!"

She started gushing all over the other three boys, and they could hardly protect themselves.

Aizawa looked to Mandalay, "Is she always like this?"

"She's desperate for a mate, but she doesn't really want an older man."

Izuku looked over to Mandalay, "But we're only sixteen and she's-mmph!" Pixie-Bob put her paw back on Izuku's face.

"I'm only what?"

"Eimphteenf."

"Good."

"Quifk queffshun, whofs vat kid?" Izuku asked pointing to the scowling boy in the red cap over by the front door.

Mandalay realized what he was asking and quickly responded, "Oh! That's my nephew Koda. He's staying with me."

Izuku unlatched himself from Pixie-Bob and walked over to Koda. "I'm Izuku Midoriya. I go to U.A for the Hero Course. It's great to meet y-"

*Bam*

The entire class flinched. Izuku gasped, and silently fell to his knees clutching his crotch. Koda has just punched him in his balls. Luckily Iida caught him in his fall.

"YOU MONSTROUS CHILD! A PUNCH TO THE TESTICLES IS UNFORGIVABLE!"

Mina turned to the girls. "Yeah, Iida's right. You're going to need those Momo. Better make sure they're not too damaged," Mina laughed.

"Mina!" Momo yelled, covering her face to hide her blush. Ignoring Mina's comment, she still went to help Izuku up. She crouched down next to him. "Izuku? Can you stand?"

Izuku was curled up into a ball on the ground still clutching his groin. He silently shook his head.

"Do you need me to take your luggage for you?" He nodded. "Okay. Just rest up. I'll be back to get you." He nodded again. Momo patted his hair and went to get his luggage. She passed Bakugou on the way to the bus.

"Heh, kids got spunk."

Momo and Todoroki both simultaneously sarcastically said, "Remind you of anyone?"

"Fuck off you two!"

…

"Aaaaaah." Izuku leaned his head back against the warm stone. He was up to his chin in steaming hot water. His nether regions had finally stopped aching. Momo had to carry him inside via wheelbarrow she created.

And now he could finally relax.

"Dude, the girls are naked only across that wall."

AAAAAAAAND his eyes shot back open completely tense again. He looked over to Mineta and Kaminari talking a few feet from him in the springs.

"Seriously Mineta? You of all people aren't going to take this golden opportunity?"

"I can't man. The locker room incident has me on thin ice. I gotta tone it down. Besides, Midoriya's my friend and I don't want him trying to beat me up again."

Izuku flinched at that, "Uh... s-sorry again Mineta."

"Hey it's cool. Besides, I'm sure you want to be the only one with the image of Yaoyorozu naked."

Izuku's eyes widened. Images flooded his brain over and over again. He couldn't get it out of his mind. He looked back to Mineta, but he was gone. In fact, everyone was gone. Steam started to consume the area. Suddenly from the steam, a silhouette appeared from the gas.

Momo emerged. She was submerged from the collarbone down, clearly wearing nothing. She slowly came forward until she was inches from Izuku. She slyly smiled, and started to stand out of the water. Her chest came out, and then just as her breasts were about to emerge from the wate-

"Midoriya?" Izuku jumped at the sound of his name. He looked back up to see Mineta and Kaminari staring at him strangely. "Uh...you okay dude? You blanked out for a second as soon as Mineta said...oh. Should we even ask?"

"...No thank you."

The other two decided to awkwardly go back to their conversation, and Izuku dunked himself entirely under the water punching himself in the face. His mind had now decided to add daydreaming to the mix. 'Why me?'

Izuku started to hear muffled yelling above water. He came up out of the water to see Iida yelling up at the top of the barrier wall between the girls and boys spring rooms. Izuku looked to the top to see Koda standing on the wall. Iida seemed to take issue with that.

"You! Scrotum-Punching Heathen! What are you doing up there!? Are you trying to spy on the girl!? How shameful! Get down from there this instant!"

Koda scowled down at Iida, "I'm not spying stupid! I'm the one making sure you idiots aren't the ones spying!

Suddenly, a third voice came in. "Yeah Iida! Koda's cool!" Out of instinct, Koda turned to find the source of the voice only to see a shameless Mina fully out of the water in the nude in all of her glory for Koda to see.

Koda's face rushed with blood, and he passed out from shock. He began to fall backwards off of the wall, only for Izuku to catch him. In his concern, Izuku rushed out of the springs to find Mandalay.

Kyouka turned to Mina, "You trying to kill the poor kid Mina?"

"Hehe, sorry. By the way Kyouka, why have you been looking up the entire time?"

"A-Ah, no reason." There was a reason. A huge one. Finding out that you're attracted to women, and then getting into a large steamy bath with them while naked was DEFINITELY NOT HELPING. It wasn't that she hasn't seen them in little clothing before, they did have a locker room. He'll, she had seen Momo's breasts full on before.

This time however was different. It wasn't that she couldn't look at any of them. It was that for some reason, she just couldn't look at Ochako. Exploring one's sexuality had its discoveries, and one of them was that Kyouka liked curves. And Ochako was the curviest girl in the entire class. She had an overabundance of curves, and Kyouka couldn't stop looking.

And much to her embarrassment, couldn't stop touching during their dance. Jirou knew what this was all implying. She was going through all of the same motions and processes when she was focused on Momo. 'Well, at least the dreams haven't started.'

"Are you sure about that?"

Kyouka was startled to a voice right in her ear. She turned to see Ochako sitting right next to her in the springs, the other girls gone. The brunette wrapped her arms around Kyouka's waist and brought her in close. She buried her face into the Rocker Girl's neck and began planting soft kisses and bites. She brought her lips to Kyouka's ear and said, "Kyouka, are you okay?"

Aaaaaaand Dream Ochako was suddenly gone and Real Ochako was at her side with a concerned look on her face. "Uh! Yeah! Yeah I'm good. Just exhausted."

'...Crap.'

…

Izuku walked out of Mandalay's room with a thoughtful look on his face. Mandalay had just told him Koda's past after he dropped him off. He was starting to realize just how closed off from the world his childhood made him.

'First I meet Melissa. Quirkless, yet she follows her dreams and does amazing things. And now Koda, a boy who hates heroes while growing up. Two people that are almost exact opposites of how I use to be. He's got so much pain in his heart that he can't let go of. Well...I guess I'm not one to talk either.'

"Oh Izuku! I-...I-..." Izuku turned to see Momo standing a few feet away from him, her eyes wide. She was dressed in a loose emerald green shirt, and black shorts. She had a towel over her shoulder. It was clear that she had just exited the springs and had put on pajamas. But what was her problem?

Izuku looked down to where she was and realized what was wrong. He was still in nothing but a towel. "Oh! U-Uh H-Hey Momo. I-I c-can't talk right n-now. GOTTA GO!" He bolted down the hallway, his face hotter than the sun.

Momo was frozen in the hallway. Her face was flaming hot. She closed her eyes, but his body was burned into her eyelids. She knew he was fit, most of the boys were. But that...was even better than she expected. She's been to many museums throughout her life, and all the statues and paintings of gods and warriors had nothing on Izuku.

She knew she was going to have interesting dreams tonight.

…

(Several Hours Later)

Izuku suddenly felt a weight on him in his sleep. He opened his eyes to see a large lump going from his waist to past his feet. He lifted up the blanket to see Momo, under the covers with her face near his...nether regions.

"Momo!?"

"Hey Izu. Don't worry, I'll get to this in a bit." She said, gesturing to his crotch. She slowly crawled her way on top of Izuku and snaked her way up his body and started kissing his collarbone. "We were interrupted on the bus. Let's see, where did we stop last. Oh, I know. I was doing this."

She started grinding into him, and she lifted her upper body up into a sitting position. "And, I believe I said something about getting these clothes off." She grabbed the Hem of her shirt, and in one swift move her shirt was completely gone. Only this time there was no bra.

And for some reason, her body was shining a blinding light so he couldn't see. He knew her body was heavenly, but this was to literal. He opened his eyes again to see nothing but a sunbeams traveling through the window into his eyes.

...Oh.

It was just the sunlight peeking through the window. It was morning. All the other boys were starting to wake up and head to the bathrooms. "Urrrrrgggghhhh" He started banging his head on the floor. 'I can't do this anymore. I'm going to confess by the end of camp, even if it kills me…and it probably will.'

Izuku got up and got ready for today's training.

...

"Uraraka, it's time to wake up."

"Mmmmmph. 5 more minutes Kyouka." The muffled voice of Ochako said into her pillow.

"Oh? So you don't want me to wake you up in your favorite way?"

"What are you talking abo-?" Ochako froze as she lifted her head out of her pillow. Kyouka was lying next to her, the blankets pooling around her waist, and above her waist she was wearing absolutely nothing.

Ochako quickly rubbed her eyes and blinked quickly. She looked back to see nothing there. The real Kyouka was slowly getting up and stretching on the mat next to hers. Fully clothed.

'...Crap.'

…

Izuku knew that training would be hard. But the fact that he was assigned personal training with Tiger was too much. He was essentially doing basic muscle and cardio exercises, but with heavy weights, and doing way more than the average body builder would do in a single sitting. He could see Momo multiple meters away, stuffing her face while also creating as many objects as she can.

It looked like it was making her sick.

"Alright! We're done for the day! Go clean up and start making your dinner!" Aizawa yelled to the class.

Izuku dropped to the ground immediately, completely exhausted. But he knew it was good for him. He stood back up to see the rest of the class slowly slumping their way back inside. He didn't see Momo though. He looked back to where her and Sato were sitting to see her coming right for him very slowly. Now she really looked sick and exhausted.

Her face was pale, and her eyes were drooping and barely open. But...they were alone. Everyone else was inside now, and there were even a few trees for privacy. This was his chance.

When she was only a few feet away, he made his attempt. "H-Hey, Momo. I really n-need t-to talk...with...you…" Izuku slowly petered out as Momo places her chin over his shoulder and held him tightly. "Uh...M-Momo?"

She responded tiredly and grumbled, "'Zuku...ate too fast...created too much…"

"I-It's okay. Do you-?" He suddenly felt her convulse, heard a gagging noise, and felt a warm, wet, and slimy substance go down his back and seep through his uniform.

...She vomited on him.

"...Sorry."

Izuku shivered at the disgusting and vile feeling of puke on him. But ultimately steeled himself. He wrapped his arms around her, "I-It's okay. D-Do you need to go to the medical room?"

She nodded into his neck, clearly embarrassed. Izuku tried to move, but she wasn't budging.

"...D-...Do you n-need me to carry you?"

She nodded again.

"Okay." He bent down and picked her up bridal style. He was doing his best to ignore the feeling of the vomit growing cold on his back. He made his way to the building. 'Yep...I'm definitely not confessing today.'

Momo buried her face further into his neck, "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. I-I have more than one gym shirt." He didn't, but she didn't need to feel any worse right now. He made it back to the building and found Mandalay, who stayed about 5 feet from Izuku at all times as soon as she saw the puke.

She brought them into the Pussycat's med-bay and left to get fresh clothes for Izuku and some stomach/nausea pills for Momo. Izuku placed Momo down onto the bed, and took off his jacket to put it on the laundry basket Mandalay left.

Izuku sat down next to Momo's bed. She rolled over to him, still exhausted. "I'm so sorry."

"I know. And I-I said it's okay."

"Still though, I'm making it up to you tonight by cooking your dinner."

"Y-Yeah, so I can throw it up on you this time." The two started chuckling until Izuku saw she still had some excess bile on her lip. He grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and wiped it off. When he pulled his hand back, Momo lightly caught his wrist. She took the tissue and threw it away in the trash can beside the bed.

She then placed his hand down on the bed, and started playing with his fingers again. This time she wasn't doing it mindlessly. She was doing it because she wanted to. Rubbing her thumbs across his scars and bumps. She looked back up to him. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

…

Midoriya sat in the dining hall with everyone else, ready for his meal. The one Momo insisted on making no matter how much he told her she didn't have to. 'So...that confession was a complete failure. Maybe tomorrow. I'm sure I can hold out for one more day, right.'

All confidence in that statement flew out the window when Momo walked through the door in nothing but short shorts and a tank top.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

All eyes turned to Izuku as he repeatedly banged his head on the table. Momo walked up to him. "Izuku? Are you alright?"

Izuku immediately stopped and tried to act casual, "Yeah! I mean yeah, totally. I'm good."

Momo shrugged it off and sat down next to him as everyone began to dig in. Izuku took his first bite. "Wow Momo, this is great! But uh, are you sure you want to be eating after uh... you know?"

"Well my stomach is completely empty now, so I'm starving. Besides, if I want to do good tomorrow I need more food if I want to make more."

Sero, who was listening in, had a realization. "Hey, that's just like how po-mmph!" Izuku had placed a hand over his mouth.

"Don't finish that sentence."

"Mhmm."

As dinner continued, Izuku noticed Koda wasn't eating again. He watched him walk off into the forest. "Hey Momo, I'll be right back," he said making a second plate of food.

"Oh, okay." Izuku jogged off after Koda. Mina slid her way over to Momo and whispered so only they could hear.

"Girl, do you know what you're doing to that poor boy?"

Momo looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean!? Coming here dressed like that, with that body. You're gonna give him a heart attack if you keep playing hard to get."

"But I'm not playing hard to get. In fact I'm doing the exact opposite. I...I want him to make the first move so I can be absolutely sure this is what he wants. What if he's so focused on being a hero he doesn't wasn't a relationship. I just...I want him to really want to be with me."

Mina rolled her eyes, "He does. I know it, and I know you do too. You can't be afraid forever. There's always a million reasons not to do something, except now. There are none. All reasons are in favor of doing it. But, I can understand wanting him to make the first move. If he doesn't, then he'll keep being afraid to be forward in your relationship. Which can end up with problems. So you do you Momo, but how about you do it faster?"

Ashido slid away as Momo pondered what she said. She was right. Momo has always considered herself to be a patient girl, but this was pushing it. Izuku meant everything to her, and she to show that in more ways than what they did now. 'Tomorrow. I has to be tomorrow.'

Izuku came back to the table and sat down looking deflated. "What's wrong Izuku?"

"I'll tell you later when we're not in public." Momo nodded. She went back to her food, and her eyes traveled across the tables to see Jirou drop her spoon on to the floor. She didn't have any spare ones to eat with, so Ochako decided to pick up some curry with her own spoon and lift it up to Kyouka for her to eat.

In short, Ochako was trying to spoon feed Kyouka. Momo just about died of cuteness.

Kyouka nervously looked around to make sure no one was looking, and nervously ate off of Ochako's spoon. Momo's heart clenched in adorableness. She couldn't take it. If she watched any more she might die.

She turned back to Izuku. They caught each other's eyes and smiled at one another. They both had the same thought.

'Tomorrow is either going to be the best or worst day of my life.'


	27. The Test of Love and Courage

"Today's the day." Momo said looking into the mirror. She had just finished dinner and decided that she needed to hype herself up. She was going to tell Izuku that she lik-...loved him?

_'Do...Do I love him? I...I guess I don't know what being in love feels like. And Izuku definitely would feel uncomfortable at such a jump. I'll hold back on that for now. Unless he loves me! No! Momo don't jump the shark now.'_

The L word was definitely something she had no experience with. But she couldn't deny that as logical as she was, she was a die-hard romantic at heart. Romance novels somehow always snuck their way into her collection, and she still was a teenage girl. Falling in love with someone was on her life checklist as a little girl, and she never exactly scratched it off. She just put it to the side. But now…

*_ RING* *RING* "Hello?"_

"Hello Mother."

_"Momo! Good Evening Honey. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call? Or should I say who? Specifically a green-haired gentleman." Yukuna teased._

"*_ Sigh* _How did you know?"

_"Darling, you went to a summer camp full of starlit skies and teenage hormones. I've seen your stash of novels. I knew you couldn't resist. I also knew that you couldn't hold out much longer. You listened to 'Unchained Melody' for an entire week after you came back from the island, and you also said that the dress you took was your new favorite. So I'm assuming something happened with him there. Do I need to continue?"_

"...No."

"_ So, what did you want to ask dear."_

"Mother. How do you know that you're in love?"

_"Oh you are. No doubt about it _."

Momo nearly dropped her phone, "W-What! How can you even te-"

"_ First of all, everything I just said was my first example. Second, you don't stop talking about him. Third, almost everything you've bought since the Festival has been green. Fourth, I've personally seen the way you look in his eyes and it's the same way your father and I look at one another. And it was also the way his mother and that thin man Toshinori look at each other. Fifth, you mutter constantly now. And you've mentioned how he does that. Sixth, ever since meeting that boy you've been happier than I've ever seen you. Seventh-"_

"Okay I get it! Mother I just...what if I say it and he freaks out? What if I have no idea what I'm even talking about?"

"_ ...Momo Yaoyorozu. Most teenagers have no idea what they're talking about. They don't know what really love is. Midoriya doesn't. You don't either. But I, someone with experience. Someone who knows what love is, is telling you are a special case, and that you're definitely in love. As much as your father doesn't want to admit it, he sees it too. You'll learn over time what this feeling truly means. I know that you and this boy are perfect for one another. So for now, take this feeling and go full force. Ride it until I hear wedding bells and the cries and coos of grandchildren and beyond."_

"Mother," She said blushing.

Yukuna laughed_ , "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. And if this scares Midoriya, it just means you have to take his hand and jump into the unknown together."_

"Mother this is the absolute most reckless you've ever told me to be."

"_ Why yes it is. But you won't regret it. Now go and do it. You're a Yaoyorozu. We fight for and earn what we love. And if we can't, we just buy it."_

Momo giggled, "Well hopefully I won't have to throw cash in his face. Thank you Mother. I love you."

_"Gasp! Love!? What a terrifying word! I can't handle this!" _They both laughed at the joke. " _I love you too Momo"_

The call ended and Momo looked back up into the mirror. This time however, she wasn't wearing a concerned and nervous look. She was smiling brightly and blushing.

"Yeah. Today _is _the day."

…

"I can do this. I can do this. I can do this."

Izuku didn't believe a single word he was saying. He'd been mumbling that to himself for the last thirty minutes. The moment he was told how the Test of Courage was going to work, he had asked to speak to Mandalay privately...and immediately begged on his hands and knees for her to pair him up with Momo.

Mandalay decided to go ahead and do it as a thank you for saving Koda from falling at the hot springs. It was the least she could do. Besides, Momo has asked for the same thing five minutes ago, but he didn't need to know that. She had a feeling both had the same reasonings. Especially if Pixie-Bob's remark to her about Izuku being claimed already had any indication.

So now Izuku had been pacing back and forth trying to hype himself up for the confession. He knew what he had to do.

Since Class 1-B were the scarers, they would likely stay in one spot and wait for 1-A to pass by so they can jump out at them. Moving around would cause too much noise and ruin the scare. So all Izuku has to do is head into the forest, find a hidden and discreet little spot where no one from 1-B will be at, and confess.

Saying it was a lot easier than actually doing it.

"Alright! Midoriya and Yaoyorozu are up! Head on in!" Tiger called out.

Izuku's heart stopped. _'No! No I've gotta have more time right!? I haven't even practiced what I'm gonna say!'_

"Shall we Izuku?" Momo said as she walked up to him. She was wearing a form-fitting white shirt with red accents on the sleeves and "Creaty" on the front, and khaki shorts that went down to mid-thigh.

She wasn't making it any easier for him.

"U-Uh, y-yeah. L-Let's go." He thought he was a dead man. They walked into the treeline and started their trek through the forest. Momo created a parabolic sonic listening device to listen for anyone getting close. After about 5 minutes, the light from camp was completely gone and they were all alone.

Izuku turned to Momo, "Do you hear anything?"

Momo did one last listen around the area, "No, nothing." Izuku looked around. They were in a small clearing about six by six feet surrounded by trees and bushes, and no one was near them. This might be his best chance.

_'Maybe...Maybe just a little longer. I should practice in my head what I'm going to say. Maybe I...can…' _Izuku looked into the shadows of the forest and saw something that definitely wasn't good. It was just like from the Sports Festival.

The Eyes...

The Silhouettes…

The _Ghosts _for lack of a better word…

The past wielders of One For All were all there. Their glowing eyes watched him from afar, and then slowly faded away.

_'No...No not now. Anytime but now!' _If the past users decided that NOW out of all times in the universe was the time to show up, it couldn't be good. Something was wrong.

He needed to do this now. If the wielders were any indication, then Izuku had a feeling his chance was about to be taken from him.

"H-Hey Momo? I really need to talk to you"/"Hey Izuku? I really need to talk to you."

Both stopped at the others words. "Oh! You can go first." Izuku tried to be polite.

"No please, you go."

"No really you-"

"Izuku. Please go first. If you're about to say what I think you're going to say then please go first," Momo said with an anxious smile. She walked forward until she was only inches from him. She looked directly into his emerald eye hoping she was about to hear what she's wanted to hear for months.

"I-... It's just that...Y-You...S-Sorry. It's nothing. Forget I sa-" Before Izuku could walk away, Momo grabbed his wrist and put him right back.

"Izuku, I'm fairly certain, or at least I hope I know what you're about to say. I want to say it too. I'm tired of dancing around it. I danced around it for months before I finally accepted it for myself. I don't want anymore waiting. So please, say what you want to say before I say it."

"I-I really don't think you know what I'm about t-"

"Then humour me." Momo said with a smile. She slowly took his hands in hers.

Izuku was panicking. He had no clue what to do. '_ Do I just say it? Or do I start off with compliments and reasons? Do I say I like her? Or lov-...L word her? I don't even know what it feels like to L word someone! I mean, Mom once said something you feel when falling in love is your heart almost stopping whenever you see them. Do I?'_

Izuku looked back up into Momo's eyes. His chest felt completely empty for few seconds. It definitely _felt _like his heart stopped. '_Enough Izuku! JUST SAY IT!'_

Izuku furrowed his brow, and closed his eyes. He opened them back up, and looked Momo directly in her beautiful onyx eyes he adored.

"Momo. You're...hot."

Momo's eyes widened and a single brow rose. "You were right, I didn't know what you were going to say. But...thanks?"

"No! Hot! Fire!" Momo whipped around to see the entire treeline ignite in blue flames. An explosion rang throughout the entire forest. Suddenly gas started pouring in like fog.

"_ ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS! THIS IS MANDALAY! THE CAMP IS UNDER ATTACK BY VILLAINS! DO NOT ENGAGE IN COMBAT! I REPEAT DO NOT ENGAGE! REPORT BACK TO THE MAIN LODGE IMMEDIATELY!"_

Izuku spun around to Momo, who was already creating gas masks. Behind her was the Past Wielders. They looked straight at Izuku, and faded away once more.

'_ ...Damn it.'_

…

Izuku was dashing through the forest at 10% with Momo on his back. They could see smoke pillowing in the distance. It was right about where the remedial classes were taking place. The duo just hoped that Mr. Aizawa was protecting them.

The clearing where they entered the forest was now visible. And to their horror, they saw a bloody Pixie-Bob being held by her head under a club being held by a...man?

The ma-...woma-...Magne raised their club once more to bring it down on Ryuuko's head. But, when she brought it down, she hit nothing but dirt. Magne looked up to see Izuku and Momo near Mandalay and Tiger holding Pixie-Bob bridal style. As soon as Tiger realized she was safe, he engaged Magne once more.

"Pixie-Bob, are you okay!?"

She barely opened her eyes and weakly replied, "Already saving Pro Heroes huh? Damn, you really would've made a good husband."

Humour was a good sign. Or...she was possibly being serious. Either way, a sane response was good. Mandalay yelled to Izuku, "You two get her to the lodge and stay there! The villains already left the Class-Wing so it should be safe. Head to the Med-Bay and wait for further instructions!"

The two turned to leave, but Mandalay stopped them once more. "Wait! Have either of you seen Koda!?"

Izuku's eyes widened in panic, "No, but I know where he is! I'll go get him!"

"Please! As soon as you get him take him with you back to the lodge!" Mandalay ran back to aid Tiger against Magne and Spinner.

Izuku nodded and turned to Momo, "I need you to take Pixie-Bob back to the lodge while I go get Koda."

"What!? Izuku no! I'm not letting you go out there alone! There's villains crawling all over the place, and they probably know our quirks from the festival. Especially if they're knowledgeable enough to find out the secret of where the camp was. We can take Pixie-Bob back and then go find Koda."

Izuku could see the determination in her eyes. He knew there was no arguing. But they needed to find Koda fast. Momo got back on his back, and Izuku jumped to 15%, ignored the slight sting, and zipped off to the lodge up the hill. Once he made it to the Med-Bay, he carefully places Pixie-Bob on one of the beds, wrapped her head up. Momo ran to the girls room and grabbed Fushigiri.

Once Izuku got back to Momo, he immediately picked her up bridal style and ran. He dodged his way through the trees to Koda's "secret base".

Momo knew Izuku had a connection with Koda, even if it wasn't reciprocated. He had explained Koda's past to her last night, and his hatred for heroes and quirks. Izuku was desperate for a way to get through to Koda. She had told Izuku that sometimes situations like this were just not fixable with words alone.

Like when they first officially talked to one another at the festival. It wasn't just the fact that Izuku spoke those words to her, it was also that face that he went out of his way to find her. They had barely known one another, and yet he was by her side in an instant to help. Izuku just hadn't done any action to truly help Koda yet. Words weren't enough.

But it seemed like now was his chance to prove himself to Koda. Because when they emerged from the treeline to the cliffs, a villain was standing right in front of him about to attack.

Momo could feel Izuku grow hotter from energy. He placed Momo down and shot like a bullet towards Koda and the villain, barely managing to grab Koda and get out of the way unscathed. He tried to run back around the villain and come back to Momo, but the villain had other plans.

"Oh no you don't!" He grabbed Izuku by the back of the collar. While it only ripped part of Izuku's shirt off, he was tripped up and tumbled to the ground with Koda. Momo dashed to his side pulled out Fushigiri, ready to defend them. She knew that they weren't allowed to fight, but they were quickly running out of options.

"Ah, more kids to crush. Name's Muscular. Sorry, but if you don't mind I want to kill the little one before you two. We have history. Now I-...wait a minute." Muscular squinted at Momo for a second, and then dug around in his pocket for a picture.

"Oh hey! You're that Yaoyorozu girl! And you're Midoriya! You're both on my list! This is perfect! Three birds with one stone. The boss wants us to take you alive so he can torture you himself for what you did to his hand. Well, actually just the girl. He wants you dead Midoriya. Now all I need to do is find the Bakugou brat and my job is done! Well, besides whoever else I can kill while I'm here." Both teens' hearts stopped. They wanted Momo? And Bakugou?

"I gotta say, I'm impressed. I didn't think a little hero would have the guts to cut off someone's finger."

Izuku got up, put Koda behind him, and whispered to Momo, "Momo get on my back. We need to get out o-"

"I WOULDN'T IGNORE ME IF I WERE YOU!"

Izuku barely had time to put up his arms to block before being sent straight into the mountain. "Izuku!" Momo cried out. She swung her sword at Muscular, but he caught her wrist and squeezed. She could feel her bones start to crack from the pressure, causing her to drop her sword.

Muscular picked her up and slammed her fist into her stomach, knocking the wind completely out of her. He slammed her into the ground, and pushed her head down. "I need you alive, so you're gonna stay right here. But I'll leave you conscious so you can watch me kill the kid and your boyfriend."

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!"

**_*BAM* _**

Muscular felt some pain shooting through his face as he was sent back a few meters from Yaoyorozu. Izuku tried to grab Momo and Koda, but Muscular recovered quickly. "Not too bad kid!"

He wrapped muscle around his legs and shot forward, kneeing Izuku in the stomach, grabbing his head and throwing him forward, sending him right back to his crater on the side of the mountain. "But not good enough." He said, wrapping more muscles around his body. "You gotta little power in you, but you're mostly just speed. But I do want to see just how far you can go before I crush you. Now-huh?"

A rock had just hit the back of Muscular's head. He turned around to look at Koda. "Is that what you did to them too? Did you just toy with them before you killed them!?"

Muscular scoffed, "Kid, do you think I killed your parents for some philosophical reason or some shit? No I killed them because I wanted to. I love to kill, simple as that. And they got in my way, so I just did what I enjoy. It's their fault that they intervened."

"H-How...How dare you." Muscular turned back around to Izuku, who was wobbly standing back up. "You murdered his parents...and you won't even take the blame for it. I...I promise...I promise to defeat you, and save Koda and Momo."

"Oh come on! More empty promises from stupid little heroes. You should know if you can actually do something before making a pro- ack!" Muscular looked down to see Momo barely sitting up, Fushigiri straight through his calf, blood oozing from the impalement. "You little bitch!"

He backhanded Momo away, sending her rolling back towards Koda. He pulled the sword out of his calf and threw it to the side. "I told you…" Muscular felt all of his hairs stand up. He felt like he had just rubbed socks on a carpet for a whole year. He turned around to see Izuku covered head to toe in green lightning. "...to keep your hands off of her."

Muscular knew this couldn't be good. He brought out even more muscle to cover his body. Izuku kept slowly walking forward.

"It doesn't matter if I can do it. A hero's job, is to risk his life...and turn his promises into a reality. That's what a hero does. You said I was mostly speed? I'll give you speed."

Lightning enveloped Izuku's entire body. Some arced off and broke off bits of the landscape. Muscular tried to back away, but he heard metal clang behind him. He turned around to see Momo sweating and panting behind a freshly created cannon. The bottom half of her shirt torn off from the process, essentially making a crop top out of her t-shirt. Koda was standing fearfully behind her.

He looked back to Izuku, the hero's eyes glowing.

"FULL COWLING: 25%!"

All Muscular knew, was that one second Izuku was there. And a single blink of his eyes later, he wasn't. And then by the next blink, a punch with the power to bust a skyscraper hit his abdomen.

"SMAAAAAASH!"

Muscular was sent flying back into the air, only for a cannonball to the head intercept his ascension. And then came more pain. A punch, a kick, a double punch, a flurry of elbows, knees, and stomps, another cannonball, all before he even hit the ground.

One final blow to his stomach sent Muscular flying high into the mountain side. Izuku fell to his knees. Momo and Koda ran to his side. She fell to her knees beside him, panting and out of breath. "Izuku, are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that. B-But to be honest, I can't stop my bones from rattling. And I'm also pretty sure most of them are fractured. Koda, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah...w-...why? Why did you-?

"NNNRRGAAAH!" They all whipped around to the mountainside. Muscular popped back out, his leg still flowing out blood, the same went for his face. Cuts, bumps, and forming bruises riddled his features. His scalp and mouth were bleeding terribly, the latter due to the loss of some teeth. The scariest part about it was that he had a wide smile on his face, and even more muscles layered over his body over and over again making him nearly three times the size he was before.

"HAHAHA! That was incredible! You're the real deal! Now I know I can give it everything I got!"

'_ No...No it can't be. I...I…' _Izuku looked back towards Momo and Koda, terror etched onto their faces. He needed to save them. He had to save Koda, he wanted to help him with the darkness in his heart. And Momo...he needed to save her so he can tell her how much she means to him. He needed to save her so he can wake up to her smile one day. If he was so lucky. '... _I have to end this. Right here. Right now! I'll keep my promise, and I'll make sure there safe!'_

Izuku pushed himself up. He stood tall towards Muscular. His body was aching and shaking. He had bruises and cuts all over from the rocks. His last attack turned his bones fragile. But that didn't matter.

"Momo, when we clash take Koda and get back to the lodge. Wait for me there."

"What!? Izuku that's insane! I'm staying here to fight!"

"You're running out of lipids. Every creation is draining you. Koda has to be saved. Both of you! I'm the only one with the strength to take him, just run! I'll make this promise. You know I'll come back, because when I do, I'm going to tell you what I was going to say in the forest. Now...go."

Lightning sparked around him once more as he walked forward. Momo watched as his right arm became covered in glowing red lightning. Her heart dropped. She knew what that meant. It meant he was putting everything into one arm.

"DETROOOIIIIT!"

Muscular bent his legs and launched off the mountainside. "MIDORIYA!"

**_"SMAAAAAAAAAAASH!"_**

If what they were just going through was Hell, then Izuku just broke through all the levels and and found a new one to suffer through. He could feel it, and Momo could see it.

She saw the second he collided with Muscular, Izuku's arm bust open all over. A grayish purple took over his skin, and blood sprayed from multiple vein spots. He was pushing forward the best he could, but the best he could get was a stalemate with Muscular. Lightning was still pouring from his body at an unstable rate, and involuntary tears sprang from his eyes.

The shockwave from there hit caused wind to rush by at multiple miles per hour. The rocks and dirt started to erode away, the landscape turning flat dust-covered.

"Aww come on! Where's that speed from earlier Midoriya!? Don't you wanna save your friends!?" Muscular yelled pushing back.

Izuku grit his teeth and yelled through the pain.

"I-...I'M FINE... I'M OKAY!" He turned slightly back to Momo and Koda. "YOU HAVE TO RUN! GO! I'M NOT GOING TO LET HIM GET A **SINGLE** STEP PAST ME! RUN!"

"HAHAHA! WOW KID! YOU REALLY ARE AWESOME!"

More blood spurt from Izuku's arms. His legs were giving way. "SH-...SHUT UP! SHUT UP DAMN IT!"

Momo watched in horror. She needed to move. If she didn't Izuku was going to die. But...what could she do? That guy was nearly invincible with all of that muscle. And it just kept growing.

'_ Momo you have to think! Muscle! What severely damages muscle tissue? Too much heat can relax his muscles, but it will take too long. Cold will just tighten them up. There's so much muscle I can't reach his pressure points. What can I-'_

*** _Zzap*_**

Momo looked down. Izuku's sparks were zapping the ground next to her.

'..._ Lightning. Electricity can cause burns to muscle and nerve damage. The muscles will spasm and painfully lock in!'_

Momo saw her sword tumbling in the wind, rolling near her. '_ You can keep your promise Izuku. Because you're going to tell me right after we beat him.'_

Momo jumped over to her sword and picked it up. She created electrical tape and pushed for her key item. '_ Come on! A capacitor, coils, circuits. Get the shape right! Please get the shape right!'_

Out from her stomach popped out a small Tesla coil. '_ Yes!' _She took the tape and jury-rigged the coil to the bottom of the blade. She pushed herself to create rubber gloves over each hand. She picked up her Electric Fushigiri and watch as Izuku's feet started to buckle.

'_ This is going to sting. For all of us.'_

She charges down Muscular who was luckily occupied and distracted by Izuku. She did her best to pinpoint exactly where Muscular's brachial plexus was.

She jumped up high into the air, and brought down Fushigiri straight into Muscular's tissue. He reeled back in pain screaming.

"AAAAAH! FUCK!" With that distraction, Izuku managed to gain his footing back and push Muscular back. His lightning sparking directly into the coil on Momo's sword. The muscles began to singe and burn.

Momo could feel the shock hitting her, but she held strong. Muscular's muscles all began to lock up and constrict. His knees began to buckle. Momo couldn't hold on anymore, the electricity was getting to her.

Muscular was still standing even with the lock up and spasms. Izuku's arm was just too weak to fully finish it. But suddenly, water splashed all over Muscular. The lightning took full effect with the water as a traveling system. His entire body started to spasm and jerk around. Momo looked back to see Koda, water leaking from his hands.

"L-, LET HIM GO! STOP IT!"

Momo yelled to Izuku, "IZUKU! FINISH IT!"

Izuku heard her words. He had seen Koda actually use his quirk to help save him. He needed to end this. He looked up to Muscular, determination in his eyes.

"No more...NO MORE! YOU WON'T EVER LAY A HAND ON ANYONE! EVER! AGAIN!"

He could see it in his mind. The lights all of One For All connecting together, giving him strength.

_'ONE FOR ALL: 1,000,000%!'_

"DELAWARE!" He flicked open his fist. Bursting Muscular's tissue apart.

"DETROIT!" He pulled back his arm, surging with energy.

**_"SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSH!"_**

He rocketed his broken arm back at Muscular, the moment he made contact all of his lightning shot directly into the tesla coil. The villain began to flash green from the light. His skeleton flashing through his skin. Izuku's final punch, sending him straight into the mountainside. Most of the cliff going with him. When the dust and debris finally settled, Muscular lay face down on the ground. Eyes rolled into the back of his head, spit rolling down his chin...and yet somehow breathing. He was definitely one of the toughest beings alive.

They won.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Izuku screamed into the sky through the pain. He was about to fall down but Momo ran up to him and caught him. He stood up straight, and they looked each other in the eyes for a bit, just in silence.

They weren't sure why they did it...

Maybe it was the fact that they had almost just died...

Maybe it was the fact that they were pumped full of adrenaline…

Maybe it was due to Momo's shirt turning into a crop top which Izuku found extremely attractive…

Maybe they were just so sick and tired of waiting and didn't want to miss their chance again…

They really didn't know. All they knew was that one second they looking at each other, thankful the other was alive…

...and the next they were hungrily kissing the other's lips.

Neither had a clue how to do it, but they didn't care. They were in heaven.

Izuku thought for a second that he was doing this without her consent, but that was immediately squashed when he felt Momo's arms wrapped around his neck, and one hand repeatedly running through his hair.

Momo didn't care that they were smearing blood on each other's clothes. She didn't care that Izuku's arm was covered in blood. All she cared about was that it was wrapped around her waist tightly, and his lips continued to kiss hers.

They kept going. Both releasing the built up frustration of waiting for so long. This being both of their first kisses, it was clumsy. But that didn't matter. Switching which side their heads leaned, separating for a split second for air and then immediately continuing to kiss one another, both afraid that if their lips disconnected for too long the other would disappear.

When they finally did separate lips, they leaned their foreheads together, eyes closed. Both panting from the little air they took in the last few minutes. Both opened their eyes again, Izuku spoke first.

"Momo...I-I...I lik-...I l-love you. I really, really do. At least I'm almost certain. No! I mean I am. Sorry. It's just that, everything about you is perfect. I-I know that must be really weird to hear. And I-I know I d-don't really know what love is but I...I just think I know. At least about you. My life has had a lot of dark...but you made everything so much brighter. Every dark hole in my life you filled with your light. You have no idea how long I've been waiting to say and do that. Sorry, I-I'm not very good at thi-mmph"

Izuku was stopped by Momo kissing him again. They disconnected and she spoke.

"I love you too Izuku. So much. You mean everything to me. And neither of us might not know what love really is, but I'm willing to take that leap into the unknown if you are."

"Y-Yes. Definitely. So...are we…?

"Boyfriend and girlfriend? Of course we are." Both smiled and blushed heavily. The duo leaned in and kissed again.

"Uh…"

The teens disconnected lips and turned their heads back to Koda, who was awkwardly standing by.

"Oh! Um... sorry Koda." Izuku tried to apologize.

"I-It's okay."

The teens looked back into the forest. They had completely forgotten that villains were attacking. They needed to celebrate later. A crisis was still happening. Momo created a cast for Izuku to wear on his right arm, and a brace for her wrist.

She also created a new shirt for him. As much as she wanted to see the muscles of her new boyfriend (she still smiled at that), some kind of covering was important. She pulled Fushigiri out of Muscular and sheathed it. She also applied some bandaging to the villain so he wouldn't bleed out and die.

She tied Fushigiri back on, and created a sling for Koda to sit on Izuku's back. Izuku picked her up bridal style, but paused before he jumped back into the forest.

"Uh...C-Can we...one more time?"

Momo realized what he meant and blushed. She leaned up and kissed him again. This one with less built up desperation, and more care and passion. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

Izuku bent down, and jumped into the forest.


	28. Quirk Evolution

Izuku, carrying Momo and Koda, dashed through the forest trying to reach the campgrounds to give Mandalay the info they learned from Muscular about Bakugou. There were even more problems now than before.

First, Izuku's adrenaline was slowly coming down. His arms were now a dull pain, but he knew that pain would multiply soon enough.

Second, it was terrible that the villains were apparently after Bakugou. And it was even far worse that they were after Momo. _'I get a girlfriend for 5 minutes and suddenly the universe realized it's mistake and tries to fix it.' _

The third, final, and potentially scariest problem was the previous wielders were back. But it wasn't like earlier tonight, and it wasn't like the Festival. This time, they were everywhere. As Izuku dashed through the forest, every shadow, and behind every tree was another pair of eyes on a silhouette.

Izuku wanted to believe this to be a warning mechanism of some kind to tell him he was in danger. The only problem was that it had never done this before. Izuku had been in multiple dangerous situations before, and he never saw even the slightest sign of the previous wielders.

Tonight however, they wouldn't go away. They were trying to communicate with him. There was something else that was going to happen tonight, but Izuku was terrified to even think about what his predecessors were trying to tell him.

He was so distracted he didn't even realize Momo was trying to get his attention. He looked to his girlfriend ('_ I still can't believe it')_show he was listening.

"Izuku, we need to get back to the Med-Bay. We'll drop Koda off and properly deal with your arms. Then we'll find Mr. Aizawa and Mandalay to relay the message."

Momo had been trying to convince Izuku for the last minute of her plan as they dashed through the forest. Momo in Izuku's arms and Koda on his back. Koda, being only a child, was the top priority. And Izuku had broken his arm twice. It was black and bleeding profusely before Momo made a cast. They couldn't go out and help anyone if his adrenaline ran out and the pain overtook him.

Izuku however, had other plans…

"We can't. We need to get that message out first. What if they already have Kacchan? We can't-"

"Izuku!" He stopped running, Momo took his face in her hands and made him look at her. "I know we have to save Bakugou, but you_need _to prioritize! Koda is just a child, your arm needs immediate medical attention, and Bakugou is a combat efficient hero-in-training with an extremely powerful quirk. He also has Todoroki with him. They can handle themselves until we get to him. You have to see what's more important here. If you really look up to Bakugou, then you should believe he can hold his own for now."

Izuku closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in frustration. He leaned into Momo's hand, "...I-I know. You're right. But we can't go to the Med-Bay."

"Why not?"

Izuku looked ahead of them, "Because that's the Med-Bay." Momo followed his line of sight through the trees to see the entire Med-Bay engulfed in blue fire. As they got closer, they realized it wasn't just the Med-Bay...it was the entire Lodge grounds.

The classroom building, the main Lodge, the training grounds, all covered in an azure hellfire.

Izuku gasped in a sudden realization.

"PIXIE-BOB!" Momo's heart stopped at Izuku's words. They had left Pixie-Bob inside the Med-Bay. Koda realized why they were panicked about Pixie-Bob, and tears began to well up in his eyes. Momo's heart then completely fell to her feet when she thought of something else.

"The remedial classes! They were inside!" Momo could feel Izuku's chest move up and down even faster than before. He hurriedly out her and Koda down.

"I'll go get Pixie-Bob! You get to the classrooms and see if anyone's there! Koda, go hide beh-"

**_*Crash*_**

The trio turned to see an absolute miracle. A soot covered Aizawa broke through the doors of the Med-Bay, carrying an equal soot-covered and unconscious Pixie-Bob. He turned to see his students and Koda gaping at him. "Good, you're all okay. Do yo-"

Eraserhead looked at Izuku's arm to see it fully casted up. At the edge of the cast near his shoulder, a sickly black peeked its way out. "I take it back. You're not okay. Your injuries...you did it again."

"I-I had to! I ne-"

"It's fine. You're not getting in trouble for this. I'll take the fall for it; I need you to tell this to Mandalay anyway. You need to find Mandalay, and tell her to relay to everyone that I give them permission to fight."

Momo walked up to Eraser, "Where's the rest of the class?"

"A lot of them and 1-B are still in the woods. Iida, some of 1-B, and the remedial classes have locked themselves into the panic room behind the classroom building," he said pointing to the burning building. "Well... except one."

"What do you mean?" Momo asked concerned. Izuku perked up at this as well. Aizawa clenched his fists.

"The attack started here, on the campgrounds. I was giving the remedial classes... I'm not sure what happened next. All of a sudden blue flames covered the classroom, and when they cleared...Tokoyami was gone."

Izuku and Momo looked at each other in a panic. Izuku spoked shakily, "Mr. Aizawa...I-I don't know why, but they're kidnapping specific students. Ka-Bakugou is a target, and so is Momo. We learned that from a villain we fought when saving Koda."

This was the first time they had seen Mr. Aizawa scared. His eyes had gone wide and he looked to the ground in thought. He looked to Momo, "You...stay with Midoriya. As much as I want you two back at the panic room, I need to go and get as many of you back as possible. I need someone to find Mandalay, but I can't have anyone left by themselves. Koda, follow me. I'm going to get you and Pixie-Bob to the rest of the students. Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, go find Mandalay and give her my message. As soon as you do that, get to the panic room _immediately._Guide anyone you find on the way, understood?"

"Yes sir." They both said simultaneously. Izuku let Koda down, and they all parted ways.

"Wait!" Izuku and Momo turned around to Koda's plea. "Th-...Thank you." Both teens just smiled, nodded, and ran off into the forest. Momo jumped back into Izuku's arms, and the two sped off.

"So Izuku, we're ignoring Mr. Aizawa's orders and finding the rest of the class after we give the message to Mandalay right?"

"S-Sorry, but that's what I planned to do."

Momo just chuckled, "I can't tell if you're a good influence on me or not."

"I tend to leave that impression." The duo began to see the clearing where they last left the Pussycats. Mandalay was about to be cut down by Spinner's massive sword collective. Izuku shot to 12% and leaped into the air. "SMAAASH!"

He drop kicked the blades, breaking them all apart and shattering a few. Momo dropped down and pulled out Fushigiri. Spinner rushed to the ground and picked up the nearest weapon he could from his former sword. He grabbed the chainsaw and swung it around.

Momo parried the tool, slid Spinner's foot out from under him, and brought her elbow down right onto Spinner's snout. He instinctively tried to bring his hands up to his bleeding nose, which gave Momo the chance to grab his wrists, turn him onto his stomach and pin him to the ground.

"Grr... you're the girl who fought Stain. And that boy is the one who Stain saved. You're both true heroes, and shall not die today."

Momo heard that and then looked at his attire and almost scoffed, '_ Copycats. Of course.' _She created handcuffs and placed them on the lizard man. Momo lifted him up to his feet, and shoved him over to Mandalay.

"You kid's are more capable than we thought."

"Thank you but there's something urgent we need to tell you. First, Koda is safe and with Mr. Aizawa. Second, relay to everyone that Mr. Aizawa gave us permission to fight the villains, and that Katsuki Bakugou is their main target. Tokoyami has been taken, and everyone needs to look out for him."

Mandalay's eyes and mouth opened in shock, "A student's been taken!?"

"Don't worry, we'll get him back." Momo said running back to Izuku. He bent down and she hopped onto his back. Izuku shot off again like lightning. Momo turned her head and yelled back, "Tell Mr. Aizawa we're sorry for this!"

Mandalay ran after them, "Wait!" But soon stopped after only a few feet when she realized it was a lost cause. While she was distracted, Spinner took this golden opportunity to roll backwards onto his feet and disappear into the trees.

…

_"Attention all students! Eraserhead has given the go ahead to fight! I repeat, you have permission to fight back! The villains also have targets. They're after Katsuki Bakugou, and have already taken Fumikage Tokoyami! Everyone watch your partners backs and try to make it back to camp ASAP!"_

Katsuki froze. He didn't even move when the "Tooth-Fucker" shot another attack at him. Todoroki had to make an ice glacier to block to attack. "Bakugou get back! They're after you!"

Katsuki put on a wide stiff grin. His eyes wide were wide open and strained. A nervous sweat dripped down his face. "Blah blah blah. Who gives a shit about that? We've been told to fight! SO LET'S FIGHT!"

Katsuki was clearly afraid.

Moonfish shot more teeth at Bakugou, but the blonde sent out an explosion that shattered the teeth tendrils. He continued to repeatedly blast at Moonfish. Todoroki looked at the crazed, strained look on Bakugou's face. The desperation in his attacks. He wanted to get out of here, and was fighting to hide it.

Izuku and Momo could hear the explosions a mile away. "He's that way!" Izuku said turning on his heel and speeding off towards the noise. Once they reached the pathway, they could see Bakugou continuously throwing explosion after explosion while Todoroki was trying to help while also carrying an unconscious 1-B student.

"Can Fushigiri cut through teeth?"

"I guess we're about to find out." The duo raced forward to help their friend, but Bakugou saw them coming. He set off an explosion right in front of Izuku's feet, barely missing them.

"No! I told you before during finals, I don't want your help Deku!"

Momo got down from Izuku's back, "Now is NOT the time for this Bakugou! Didn't you hea-"

"I fuckin' heard! And I don't give a shit! I don't! Need! YOU'RE FUCKING! HELP!" Katsuki shot up into the air like a rocket, and launched his way towards Moonfish. The villain tried to send more teeth, but Bakugou was already there. He gripped his hands around all the bases of the teeth tendrils that he could.

"DIE MOTHERFUCKER!" Katsuki set off one of the biggest explosions he could. He was sent back to the ground from the force of it, and Moonfish was lost in the smoke and fire.

They heard another thump hit the ground. The smoke cleared for the teens to see Moonfish on the ground unconscious. Most of his teeth were blown off, and the front half of his tongue was burnt near black. Katsuki stood back up, "I told you."

Todoroki side eyed him, "You could have set the trees on fire."

"Look around you dumbass. They're already on fire. What's it matter if I add a little more?"

Momo furrowed her brow, "Oh! So if a civilian is injured during a villain attack, it's okay to get them hurt even more? Great hero work."

Katsuki snarled at her, "That's not what I meant. But if that civilian is you, then maybe it was bitc-"

"Stop!" All eyes turned to Izuku. "This really isn't the time for all of you to bicker. There are still more people out in the woods and we need to save them. Splitting up is a bad idea, we need to stick together. Especially with two targets here, and fighting each other isn't going to help."

Todoroki raised his eyebrows, "Wait, two targets?"

"We learned that I'm also a target." Momo informed them.

Izuku looked back to Bakugou, "So please stay with us. The more people we have, the less of a chance either of you have of getting caught."

Bakugou acted like he was reluctant, but in reality he was almost relieved to have others around for once. "Tch...fine."

"Thank y-you. Oh! And I know you've said before you don't want my help. But, I also said to stop calling Momo that word. We both know what happened when you did it last time. So leave my girlfriend alone." Izuku hurriedly turned around and started to lead the way.

Todoroki put his hands on his knees and sighed in relief, "Finally. You two are finally together. It was honestly getting on my nerves." He turned away and whispered to himself, "Now all that's left to do is Dad Might."

Bakugou rolled his eyes, and followed behind. Momo caught up to Izuku and looked at him. He was shaking in fear. He whispered to Momo, "I can't believe I just did that. He's gonna kill me. Why did I do that?"

Momo softly smiled, and kissed his cheek. "That's just your instincts to protect your significant other kicking in. We've been doing that for a while now."

"Are we gonna save everyone else's asses? Or are we gonna have to sit here and watch you two make out. Because if it's the latter, I'll go ahead and get kidnapped," Bakugou said, marching past them.

…

Ochako's body felt cold.

This psycho schoolgirl was terrifying. Uraraka had just pinned her to the ground, but now she was saying crazy nonsense with the most insane cheshire grin she'd ever seen.

"I can smell it on you Ochako. You're just like me... crushing on someone. But, your smell is a little different. Your crush is new and... different. Hehehe, I like that. My crush is special too. I like guys who reek of blood and pain. I want to be just like them. I'll drink their blood forever, so I can be just. Like. Them."

*_ SHINK*_

Ochako felt a sharp pain in her thigh. One of Toga's syringes pierced her skin and sucked out her blood.

"Ochako!" Tsuyu yelled from the tree she was stuck too.

"Ooooh! I can see it in your eyes. You're thinking about them right now. Don't worry, I can't let another maiden die without confessing to her love. You won't die. I just need some delicious blood. Suck suck. Suck suck."

"Uraraka!?" The brunette looked up to see Izuku, Momo, Katsuki, and Shoto come out through the woods. Toga took her chance and broke free from Uraraka's grip. The blonde rushed into the woods, but not without looking back at the group. Her cat eyes focused in on the green-haired boy.

Dried and cracking blood covered his body and his adorable face. A cast covered up a severely broken yet muscular arm. Bruises and scuff marks covered him head to toe. He was…

_'...Perfect.' _

Toga smiled and rushed off into the dark woods, already planning her future with her someday husband.

The teens ran up to Uraraka and Tsuyu. Todoroki helped Tsu down while Momo patched up Ochako's leg and arm. Izuku bent down to his friend, "We're glad you're alright. Have you-"

"Have you seen Kyouka!?" Uraraka interrupted panicked.

"U-Uh, no. We haven't. But I might know where she is. Her group should have been around the top of the Beast's Forest by now. So she should be…" Izuku stopped as he looked into the distance. All eyes turned to see a large portion of the forest pouring gas out of it. "...over there somewhere."

Ochako's heart stopped when she saw that. Kyouka was somewhere in that gas. "I-... I'm going after her."

"But Uraraka-"

"I'm going Deku. I-I have to."

"Then we're going with you."

"No. At least not everyone. You guys need to get Bakugou back to the lodge and save more people. I need to find Kyouka."

Tsuyu walked up to Ochako, "I'll go with you."

Momo tried to step in, "But what if you guys run in with another villain."

Ochako looked back to the gas, "I think specific villains were designated certain areas. That gas has to be comin' from somewhere. Whatever villain is makin' it, well just take em down."

Momo knew Ochako was as determined as they come, so she compromised. "Then both of you, take these." Two gas masks popped out of Momo's leg. She handed them to the girls, and they took off into the forest towards the gas.

Izuku watched as they left. He wanted nothing more than to go and help them, but he also knew that others needed their help. And taking Bakugou and Momo even further into a villain's turf would be a bad idea. For now, he just had to put faith in Ochako and Tsu's abilities.

Their backs faded into the darkness. As they disappeared, the eyes of the wielders took their place. Everything went silent in his mind. He couldn't hear anything, except whispers. They were trying to...talk to him.

That was definitely new.

Suddenly things began to clear up. One pair of eyes suddenly started to become much clearer, and less foggy. They got closer. Their face began to take shape. Izuku could see-

"Midoriya, are you alright?" Izuku turned his head to Todoroki, who had startled him out of his trance. He looked back to the woods to find nothing there.

"U-Uh...Y-Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. I just thought I saw something."

"Well come on. We should get go-... Midoriya?"

"Yeah?"

"...Where did Yaoyorozu and Bakugou go?"

Izuku's heart rate skyrocketed. He turned around to see that they were in fact gone. "No. Nonononononono."

"Ah, young love." Izuku and Todoroki both looked up into the trees to see Mr. Compress atop the leaves and branches, looking towards the direction Uraraka and Tsu ran off in. "Two young teenagers fallen for one another. One in danger and the other desperately trying to save her. Ha! I guess you're about to be in that same situation aren't you?" Compress said looking at Midoriya.

"Wh-... What?"

"I'll tell you, I'm tempted to just take the Yaoyorozu girl and just set up a ransom for myself. She'd make quite the pretty penny. Too bad I guess." Compress held up two marbles as he spoke. Izuku's eyes widened as he realized who exactly those marbles were. "Bye Bye!"

Compress began to hop away across the treetops. Izuku immediately shot off after him.

"Midoriya wait!" Todoroki tried to call after him, but he was already gone.

…

"Ochako do we even knows where we're going?"

"I-...I think so. This gas moving outward, and if it's coming from a villain then they'll be the singularity point. It's like a black hole. We just need to go where the gas is coming from."

Asui smiled under her gas mask. "It's a good thing you know space so well. Another thing, when did you start liking Kyouka?"

Ochako stopped, "W-What!? I don't-"

"Ochako…"

"... I don't know. It just happened alright! This whole liking a girl thing is new to me."

Asui put a hand on her friends arm, "Well as long as you actually act on your feelings this time then you should be fine ribbet. You don't want another Midoriya situation."

"H-How do you know about that!?"

"Well, I figured this crush out. So I should be able to know your past ones too. Best friend, remember?"

Ochako was blushing under her mask. "Yeah, right. Thanks for- GET DOWN!"

*** _BANG*_**

Ochako tackled Tsu to the ground as a bullet soared above their heads and into one of the trees. They both rolled behind a large tree and took cover. Ochako peeked out from behind her cover to see a boy about their age wearing a school uniform, a gas mask, gloves, a backpack, and was holding a six-shot revolver.

"Really? You actually came into the gas without any sort of plan or protection? Typical U.A. students. So high and mighty."

Ochako turned to Tsu and silently hand signaled that she was going to sneak around the villain using the thick gas a cover. She slowly put her foot out from behind the tree.

*** BANG***

Ochako jumped back, the bullet barely missing her toes. "Yeah, nice try. But I can feel your movement in my gas."

Ochako slowly calmed her heart rate and rested against the tree. She'd never actually fought against with a gun. Most criminals rely on their quirks these days. It was odd to think that these days guns are kinda forgotten by many, but are still one of the deadliest tools on the planet.

They needed a way out of this. Mustard was definitely still somewhat cautious. He hasn't made a move to advance on them, so he must be wary of what they could do if he got too close to them. It was just like the finals. Thirteen waited for them to attack first, making them sitting ducks. So they reversed it and made Thirteen the sitting duck.

Ochako knew they needed to do the same here. But the gas was the main problem. She could sneak around him if the gas was gone, but they couldn't get rid of that. So she needed to get rid of the second problem: the bullets.

_'Okay... it has six bullets, and he's used up two. If we can make him use them up, we can attack before he can reload. But how?'_

Uraraka thought back to her fight with Bakugou. She had faked him out with her gym jacket. Maybe she could do it again. Uraraka looked to Tsu and raised her hand in a finger gun. Then she brought up six fingers, shot her finger gun twice, and then brought up two fingers, then four fingers.

She took off her white button up, leaving her in a black tank top, and motioned as if she was going to throw it. She shot off her finger gun again, pointing to Tsu, and used her fingers to show someone running around Mustard. Then her finger shot at Tsu, and then Ochako pointed to herself, and then showed her fingers running again.

As complicated as that seemed, Asui seemed to understand. Ochako raised three fingers, and counted down from three. At three, Uraraka tossed her button up across the gap between her tree and a different one. Mustard felt the movement and saw the white.

***BANG***

Tsu took this chance to run to another tree to Mustard's side to hide behind. Mustard felt that movement and turned to shoot Tsu.

*** BANG***

But it was too late, Tsu was already behind her tree. Ochako saw Mustard was looking at Tsu's direction and ran to the tree her shirt was behind and took cover once more. Mustard turned at her movements, but didn't fire, not falling for it again. He began to back away into more trees.

"Damn it. That wasn't too bad. But now I-huh?"

His foot hit something when he backed his through some bushes. He looked down to see a group of unconscious students who had fallen to his gas. "Well I guess it's my lucky day."

Mustard picked up the nearest student, and held his gun to her head. "Alright! I think this game has gone on long enough! I got one of your classmates!"

Ochako peeked out from behind her tree and gasped, her heart stopped.

He had Kyouka.

…

Mr. Compress had extremely underestimated Midoriya. At first, he was confident in his escapist skills and speed. What he didn't expect was for Izuku to be a ball of light that almost immediately caught up to him. The pain in his back was a clear sign of that.

Izuku had shot off the ground and kicked Compress down to the ground. He landed down on him and wrestled the marbles out of his hand. He felt relieved...until he heard an over the top gasp come from ahead of him.

Izuku looked up to see Dani, Twice, Toga, and Spinner all staring at him in surprise. Except Toga, who was creepily smiling at him. Compress turned his face out of the dirt. "Are any of you gonna help me!?"

Himiko immediately ran towards Izuku, knife at the ready. "HI IZUKU I'M TOGA! I'M SO HAPPY TO MEET YOU! I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU EVER SINCE I SAW YOU! YOU'D LOOK EVEN MORE HANDSOME WITH MORE BLOOD!" She slashed at Izuku, but he dashed out of the way.

"Toga! Wait!" All eyes turned to Spinner. "Don't hurt him! That's the boy that Stain saved. He must be a true hero."

"Awww, but that makes me like him even more!"

Dabi turned to Spinner, "Are you kidding me? I know Stain's the guy who made us want to come here, but do you really have to follow his motives to the letter?"

"Of course I do! If Stain wills it, then I obey."

Izuku wanted to run during their squabble, but something was wrong. He had Momo and Bakugou in his hand, but...they didn't seem to care. No one but Toga ran after him, and it was for her own personal reasons.

Compress got up and walked over to his teammates, "It's no matter. Let the boy live. We have what we need." Izuku looked to Mr. Compress as he pulled out three marbles from his hat. "You like it? Simple slight of hand can work wonders. Bird Boy wasn't even on the list. We just thought he'd make a fine addition to our crew."

Izuku's entire world froze. He wasn't holding Momo and Bakugou. They were fakes. Compress still had them, and Tokoyami. A portal opened up behind the villains. "Sorry, but we really need to talk to your friends. I hope yo-GAH!"

A beam of light had hit Compress in his arm. Making him drop the marbles and release the students from their glass containers. Izuku turned to see a terrified Aoyama come out from the bushes. "Go get them Mon Ami!"

Izuku shook out of his stupor and turned to his friends. His friends were clearly still shaken from being released. The villains went down to grab them. Compress reached down to grab Momo, and Dabi reached down to Bakugou. Katsuki turned to see Dani reach for his neck, and Izuku saw something he thought he would never see again.

It was the same look Bakugou had in his eyes when he was in the sludge monster last year. He looked Izuku directly in the eyes, and Izuku did something he wished and hoped he would never do again. He looked directly at someone who was calling out for help...and turned away.

Izuku ran to Momo instead. To most, this would seem like the obvious choice. And it was, Izuku knew he wouldn't regret it. Momo was his girlfriend, the girl he just told he loved not just half an hour ago. She's his top priority. What bothered him was that Katsuki was right in front of him, in arms reach, but he didn't save him.

But he couldn't dwell on that now. He raced to Momo, but just as he got to her Dabi used the hand that wasn't wrapped around Bakugou's neck and blasted Izuku with his flames. Izuku fell backwards from the force of the blast. He furiously patted his arm off, and thankfully to Momo's cast the burns didn't reach skin. He got back up to get to Momo, but it was too late.

Dabi grabbed Momo and threw her towards the portal. A hand came out of the portal and grabbed Yaoyorozu by the throat by four fingers. Shigaraki's upper body emerged from the dark swirl. "Remember me?" He said to Momo. "Perhaps this will jog your memory."

His other hand came through the portal. It was bandaged with the middle finger missing. "I think I deserve repayment for what you did. Say bye to your boyfriend." He slowly started to pull her into the portal. Dabi was doing the same with Bakugou. Izuku tried to run forward, but the hostages stopped them.

"Deku...stay back."

"Stop Izuku. It'll be okay."

Izuku's heart was pounding, he couldn't hear anymore. He could only see the lip movements of what they were saying. Just as the back half of Momo's body entered the dark swirl, he could see her mouth one more thing to him.

"_ I love you."_

In Izuku's eyes, everything but Momo and the portal disappeared into shadows. He was shaking, was desperately thinking of anything he could do. Suddenly, the eyes came back. The wielders all surrounded the portal, just staring at him. For the first time, Izuku tried calling to them.

'_ Please! I'm begging you! Don't let them take them! Don't let them take Momo! Please! Please! Please! HELP ME!'_

Then suddenly, light.

Lights and streams of all colors exploded out of nowhere. They flew into Izuku, and he could feel his entire body gush with energy. All of the wielders disappeared except one.

Just for a second, Izuku felt his body move on its own just like at the sludge monster. He raised his good arm and casted arm up, and reached out for Momo. He felt a power like he never felt before course through his limb.

A black mass exploded from his arms.

…

Ochako had no idea what to do now. Kyouka was unconscious with a gun to her head, and Mustard still had two bullets left in his gun.

_'Come on Ochako think! Think Think Think!'_

She couldn't sneak around him anymore. Any sudden movements might cause him to shoot Kyouka, so behind him wasn't an option. And obviously they couldn't go from head on. Ochako thought back to how they took down Thirteen from the finals.

_'... Above. If he's seen the Sports Festival, he'll know my quirk. And from what he said earlier, he thinks low of U.A students. He's expecting us to make the obvious choice. He's expecting me to go up above. I guess I'll give him what he wants.'_

Ochako looked across the clearing to see Tsu looking back at her. Uraraka picked up a rock, motioned to the sky, and then motioned Tsu and to her tongue. '_ Please work.'_

Uraraka used her quirk on the rock, and lightly tossed it into the air. Mustard felt something moving up, at first he assumed one of them was trying to climb a tree, but then saw something in the air. He brought his gun up only to see a rock, and then suddenly Asui's tongue wrapped around his gun. "What the-!?"

Mustard pulled and yanked against the strength, but then suddenly he felt more movement. He turned to see Uraraka charging him.

_'Come on! Just a bit closer! Save her!' _Mustard yanked his arm free from Asui's tongue, and started to bring the gun to Kyouka's head. '_NO! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!'_

"STOP!" Ochako dived forward. She felt something in her stomach churn. Her body felt an odd shift in it. She planted all five fingers on Mustard's arm…

...and he dropped to the ground.

"Nrrghh! Rrgah! Wha-! What did you do to me!? This isn't a part of your quirk!" Mustard's entire body felt like 500 pounds. He couldn't move a muscle, and his heart was working in overdrive.

Tsu ran up to Ochako, "Are you okay?'

"Y-...Yeah."

"Ochako...what did you do?"

"I-...I didn't take away his gravity…I think I increased it." Uraraka looked down at her hands in bewilderment. She had no idea what she just did. She had heard of some quirks evolving in dire situations. Did she just do that now?

"H-...Help...me." Ochako saw Mustard struggling. She realized that gravity can put a strain on the heart.

"Release!" Mustard felt his body go back to normal, and his heart rate start to calm.

...and then Tsu knocked him out with a swift kick to the face.

The gas began to dissipate. Uraraka bent down, took off her mask, and held Kyouka's head in her lap. She checked her pulse to find it slow, likely from the deep sleep. Ochako breathed a sigh of relief.

...She was okay.

Ochako picked her up bridal style. "Come on Tsu. Pick up who you can. We'll need to make multiple trips to get them all. As the girls began their trek back to camp, Ochako had one thing on her mind.

_'I hope Deku made it back okay.'_

…

"GAAAAAAAAH!"

Izuku's arms felt like they were on fire, especially his broken one. This is definitely NOT what he meant by help.

But it still seemed to get the job done. Izuku focused in on Momo as she disappeared into the portal. As it began to close, the black tendrils shot into the portal and grabbed what it could. Izuku yanked back and pulled two people out as the portal closed shut.

He let go of who he had to not hurt them, but his power was still out of control. Izuku began to wrestle with his own body. Spasming and jerking around, trying to calm whatever storm he just started.

Suddenly a new weight consumed his body. Arms snaked themselves around his torso, trying to help contain the dark energy. Izuku looked down to see…

...Momo.

Momo was holding him tight, trying to calm him down. He had done it. He managed to save them. He saved _her. _

Everything came back into focus. His heart slowed down at the revelation that Momo was still here. She was okay. She wasn't being tortured by Shigaraki. She was right there with him.

The energy calmed down, and retreated back into Izuku's arms. Both teens collapsed to their knees, their arms wrapped around one another. Izuku began to cry. Partially from the lingering pain in his arms. Mostly from the fact that Momo was okay. "I-I thought they were going to take you." Izuku cried as he buried his face into her hair.

"I know. Me too. But you saved me; I'm okay." Momo lifted Izuku's head up, and kissed his lips. "I'm okay." She repeatedly said as she pecked him over and over again to keep him calm.

"Midoriya!" Izuku turned around to see Todoroki had finally found them. He scanned the area to see Momo and Izuku in an embrace, Tokoyami on the ground unconscious, and…

"Midoriya, why is he still here? And where's Bakugou?" Izuku's eyes widened and he looked up. Bakugou was nowhere to be found, but someone else was. Izuku looked to see an unconscious body on the ground. They likely hit their head during Izuku's forceful grab. Izuku hadn't grabbed Bakugou from the portal…

...He grabbed Spinner.

They took Bakugou…

He had failed…

They lost.


	29. RecoveryAgain: Part One

At this point, Izuku should change his school files to say his home address is "The nearest nurse's office or hospital."

He was lying in his hospital bed, his right arm wrapped up in white bandages. Luckily the doctors were able to fix him up pretty good, but they definitely still seemed worried about his arm. They ran some scans and said they would talk to him about it tomorrow.

The hospital had been a complete train wreck since they made it there. The entirety of Class 1-B was hospitalized, but luckily about half of them had already woken up and we're given a clean bill of health. Many of 1-A were still in the hospital too.

Momo wasn't hurt too badly, but she asked if she could stay overnight. Her room wasn't far from Izuku's. Tokoyami was mostly okay, just a little out of it. Everyone from the remedial classes was unscathed for the most part. Some of 1-A was still knocked out. And Bakugou…

Izuku didn't want to think about it.

**(The Previous Night)**

Everything was a blur as soon as Izuku realized Katsuki was gone. All he remembered was Aizawa showed up, and asked where Bakugou was. Everyone was silent.

Once Shouta realized what had happened, he wrapped up Spinner to drag him back to camp, and escorted the teens back to the lodge without saying a word. The news of Katsuki's kidnapping obviously wasn't taken well. Apparently Ragdoll was also taken. No one had seen her since the beginning of the Test of Courage. Kirishima probably took Katsuki's kidnapping just as bad as Izuku did. Izuku couldn't imagine having your best friend taken.

Izuku saw Uraraka holding Jirou on the ground. He was happy that she was okay.

Due to the isolation of the camp, it took awhile for any sort of fire rescue and ambulances to get there. Once the buildings were put out, a fireman walked out of the building holding what looked like a body covered by a blanket.

The fireman walked up to Aizawa, "I'm sorry, but she's gone." Aizawa shakily walked up to the fireman, and slowly removed the blanket to find…

The charred remains of his sleeping bag.

Aizawa slowly took it into his arms, clutched it tightly, fell to his knees, and cried.

Spinner and Mustard were being loaded into a police can, both in Quirk-Suppressant cuffs. Izuku heard laughter coming from the trees. He turned to see Muscular confined to a stretcher in cuffs as well. Many of his teeth were missing, and dried blood caked multiple areas of his body. Electrical burns and scar spread from his shoulder to his chest.

As he was rolled by, Muscular made eye contact with Izuku and Momo. He smiled widely, "Hahahaha! You two! You two are great! I can't wait to fight you again someday." He laughed his way into his ambulance full of police, and drove off.

Izuku's new power had busted open his bad arm again. When the paramedics saw his shredded cast and black, bleeding arm, they immediately loaded him into an ambulance first. Momo and Iida got in with him. Todoroki decided to go with Uraraka to make sure she and Jirou were alright.

The entire ride to the hospital he never stopped holding Momo's hand. And the image of Bakugou's scared eyes was burned into the back of his eyelids.

**(Present Time)**

What he did was haunting him. He looked Bakugou in the eyes, someone who needed help...and he turned away. Granted, it was to save someone else's life. And of course Bakugou would just berate him for helping. But that didn't matter. Izuku was supposed to be a hero. He was supposed to save the lives of all.

He should've tried to save both to begin with instead of trying to save Bakugou when his first attempt to save Momo failed. But, for some reason out of all times in his life, NOW was the time he was selfish. He just... couldn't do it. He couldn't not go after Momo first. Not before that night. Not after he just got her romantically. And certainly not ever now that they were together.

He still wasn't exactly sure HOW he saved her. Whatever that power was, it had to do with One For All. But, how they were related was still a mystery.

But he still could've just tried to save both. He failed to be a hero, he failed All Might, he certainly failed Bakugou, and he failed himself. Guilt gnawed at his very being.

Luckily, the perfect reminder that everything wasn't completely bad and life still had its charm walked into the room.

Her hair was down, and she was dressed in hospital robes. Yet she was still perfect to Izuku. Especially with the moonlight pouring through the windows, emphasizing her beauty. She closed the door behind her, and walked over to his bed.

"H-Hey Momo. How are you feeling? Are you allowed in he-mmph." She interrupted his question with a kiss. Izuku's mind shut down, allowing this to happen without any question. It was just as heavenly as the first time they kissed, and he was pretty sure that feeling wasn't going away. He was even too entranced to become a blushing and stuttering mess. She sat herself down next to him, never breaking the kiss. Her arms laid down on his chest, pushing him onto the bed. Izuku wrapped his arms around her back pulling her forward in a hug, her upper body now on top of his.

They broke away for air, and Momo began to rub their noses together. "I'm very happy that we get to do that now." Izuku still couldn't believe any of this was real.

"T-This isn't another dream r-right?"

Momo giggled and opened her mouth to say something, but then decided against it. She pondered an idea she had in her head, and chose it as her next action. She leaned back in for another kiss, to which Izuku gladly accepted. Except this time, when they broke away for air, Momo lightly bit Izuku's bottom lip and dragged it back with her.

Izuku shuddered. This woman was going to be the death of him. He had no idea where this sudden boost of romantic confidence from either of them came from. Likely teenage hormones. But, he hoped it didn't stop.

"Did that feel real?"

His eyes wide, Izuku just dumbly nodded with his mouth open, "Uh-huh." Momo giggled again and began to kiss him again. Between kisses, Izuku had a question he felt needed answers.

"Are *_kiss* _we *_kiss* _going _*kiss* _a little _*kiss* _too _*kiss* _fast_?" _Momo stopped her kissing-assault and hovered her face above Izuku's.

"Maybe. But, I think we've waited long enough sitting on these feelings. I'm happy to skip a few steps. Besides, this is our first, and hopefully only, relationship. We can figure out what pace we should take as we go. I know this is very... intimate very soon, and neither of us were exactly taught how to handle this kind of thing. But...I think as long as we're comfortable, it should be okay or at least as that's what I can logically deduce from all of this. Are you comfortable with what we're doing now?"

"Y-Yeah."

Momo smiled, "Me too. I'm also doing this because I know you were probably beating yourself up before I got here."

"...Why do you have to be so smart?"

"I need to be smart so I can learn how to handle you." She quipped back. She's what Izuku needed right now. Right now, his entire world was a terrible storm, and Momo was his nice and cozy home to keep him safe and help him forget his troubles. Sadly, it seemed the roofing has a hole.

"M-Momo...at camp...when Kacchan-"

"Izuku, I think we should just rest for now." Izuku saw how uncomfortable she seemed. How could he forget. She was almost taken too. She had Shigaraki's hand right around her throat, and she watched Bakugou get taken. She was here, and he wasn't. It was like survivor's guil-

_'No...No he's not dead. They need him for something, so he can't...he can't be.'_

"You're right. S-Sorry. I'll see you in the morning."

Momo put her head down into the crook of his neck, and curled up into him. "Who said I was leaving?"

_'Yeah. Definitely moving fast!'_

"Ah, but you didn't say '_too_ fast'".

_'Damn my mumbling.'_

"I think it's cute." Izuku decided to go ahead and stop thinking things, and just roll with it. She...They definitely both needed this. Being alone probably wasn't for the best. He once again bathed in an onyx waterfall of hair, and held onto Momo tightly; shutting his eyes a letting his exhaustion take over.

"Izuku?"

"Mhm?"

"I never said thank you for saving me."

"I-It's okay."

"No, it's not. Thank you. If you hadn't saved me back then...I don't know where I'd be right now. We've been in life or death situations before, but this time was different. This time I couldn't fight back, death was a mere finger on my throat away. So thank you...for everything."

Izuku knew how she felt. He too had been held hostage by Shigaraki. His dry and calloused hand wrapped around your throat. The single lifted finger keeping you from death...it was far from comfortable. He just hoped she could keep the nightmares at bay.

Speaking of nightmares, Izuku looked out the window into the night. Whatever nightmare Katsuki was going through, he hoped he was fighting through it.

**(Meanwhile At the LOV Bar)**

"Alright! One damn more time! We are the League of Villains, and we think that you-"

"Have you ever thought about how with your missing middle finger you can never flip anyone off again?" Katsuki laughed in his confinement chair.

"DAAAAAH! That's it! I'm done for the night! I can't take this brats big mouth! Let's try again tomorrow." Shigaraki said, stomping off.

**(Back at the Hospital) **

Izuku felt Momo shiver, to which he then realized she was still on top of the blankets in a cold hospital. "Oh! Sorry! Here you go." Izuku pulled the blankets out from under her and placed them over her body. Momo dug herself deeper into the warm bed, and rewrapped herself around Izuku.

"Thank you."

"N-N-No problem." Izuku's mind was racing at his scenario. He was in bed…

With a girl…

An extremely gorgeous girl who likes him…

_'Oh dear god.'_

Izuku shook his head. He needs to get used to this stuff he wants to keep Momo as his girlfriend. Besides, it felt nice...really, really nice.

Perfect even. Izuku felt himself slip into the warmth, and shut his eyes. "Momo?" he mumbled sleepily.

"Mhm?"

"Thanks for breaking the rules and going to help Bakugou with me. I know how you two don't like one another. And of course for saving me when we fought Muscular."

He could feel Momo smile against his skin, "Breaking the rules for a boy. And now I'm sleeping in a bed with one. What have I become? I wasn't raised like this." Both chuckled, barely hanging on to consciousness. "I'd do it again for you."

"M-Me too...but for you, I mean." Momo laughed through her nose, and brought her arm up to lay across Izuku's torso.

"Izuku?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

Izuku felt another explosion of joy and peace spread throughout his body. Those were words he thought he would never hear from anyone but his mother.

"I love you too."

Izuku and Momo then slipped into one of the best sleeps they ever had.

…

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Toshinori asked. He had just gotten out of his staff meeting. The idea of a traitor was baffling to him. He's gotten to know the staff at U.A quite well and couldn't imagine any of them being a traitor. Much less one of the students. But he couldn't dwell on that now. His successor and the rest of his students were in the hospital, one of them was kidnapped along with a pro hero, and he had a worried sick girlfriend to also care for

Simply put, the past 24 hours were a complete shitshow.

"You two are the best chance we got Toshinori. If he's gonna talk to anyone, it'll be you two. No one here is gonna convince him. What? You want me to bring in Endeavor or something?" Detective Tsukauchi asked sarcastically.

"Alright, I get it. You're right. I'm just not comfortable taking Young Midoriya back to see a villain. I'm sure he saw plenty at camp to last him for awhile."

Naomasa sighed, "That's probably true, but he's the best chance we have at getting Bakugou and Ragdoll back. Spinner will listen to him. Mandalay reported that he didn't want him hurt. And since he's a Stain copycat, he follows his ideals. Which means he believes Midoriya is one of the only true heroes out there. He knows Midoriya will be trying his best to save them, so he'll believe anything he says."

"... Alright. I'll talk with him tomorrow. Is there anything else I can do?"

"Honestly, get some rest. Save your energy. Spend time with your girlfriend because... Toshinori...I think this might be it. Wherever we find them..._He _will likely be there."

Toshinori leaned against the U.A hallway wall, and closed his eyes. "...I know. I'll talk to you later." He ended the call and rubbed his face.

_'I'm such an idiot. I knew he wasn't dead. I knew the day would come. Why would I start a relationship with that knowledge?' _

Toshinori thought back to everything he had experienced with Izuku and Inko. Everything he'd experienced with his class as a teacher. He's watched them all grow, especially his successor. He had once again gone far beyond his expectations. Toshinori never would have thought that Midoriya would be at the level of power and skill he was now in only a few months of school.

He's seen him grow stronger. He's seen a boy go from a scrawny kid who kept his head down and shoulders together, to a strong young man eager to succeed in life. Toshinori has been there to see Izuku change and grow, and even fall in love. He couldn't be any prouder.

Izuku even inspired him to find his own life of passion for someone else. An idea he hadn't humoured for a very long time. Despite all the villainous acts going on, the last month has been the happiest he's ever had. Inko had made sure of that.

That woman. Toshinori still doesn't understand how she was single before he met her. If he ever met Mr. Midoriya, he needed to ask him what the hell was wrong with him if he decided to walk out on the sweetest woman alive.

Toshi had somehow GAINED WEIGHT since meeting her. Inko can definitely cook, and she was reviving the skeletal man's body fat. Not that he didn't need it.

Toshinori looked back at the year he's lived since meeting Young Midoriya and all the joy it brought him. He had every intention of not making it back alive the next time he faced off against All For One. It's not that he wanted to die, he just didn't think he would have the strength to win again. Especially since his last win left him in the state he was in now.

But, now...he had _everything_ to fight for.

He had everything to die for.

He had everything to live for.

Toshinori made a vow then and there. He was going to win. All For One would go behind bars. For all Toshinori cared, it could be in jail, or in Hell. Toshinori had a life to live.

This time, he had a family to go home to.

…

_"...Is he dead?"_

_"We wouldn't be here right now if he were, genius. We're a part of him, remember? Or did you forget all about One For All?"_

_"Someone's cranky this morning."_

As soon as Izuku heard "One For All", he realized this definitely wasn't a normal dream. He opened his eyes to see he was in a black void, and the silhouettes were back again except for one man. He was in clear sight for Izuku to see. He was bald with a broad chin and goggles on his forehead. The only hair he had was some scruff on his chin. He wore a black jacket with metal shoulder pads with no shirt underneath.

_"Oh hey, you're awake. Well, not 'awake', but you can see me." _

This was it. This was what Izuku has been wanting for quite a while. Now he could finally talk to the past members of One For All. He had so much he wanted to know. He could really use some advice. He opened up his mouth to speak, and…

...he couldn't speak. He physically couldn't speak.

... wonderful.

_"Yeah, sorry about that. I know you must have a lot of questions, but they'll have to wait. I'm here to explain your new quirk."_

Izuku's eyes widened, '_New quirk!? I have two quirks now!?'_

_"You're quirk is called Black Whip. It use to be mine, but you seemed to need it far more than I did. You're progressing far faster than we anticipated, so this evolution is definitely well earned. You're doing just great kid."_

Izuku felt a wave of satisfaction flow through him. The previous wielders were actually impressed by him.

_"Black Whip is actually a pretty top-grade quirk. It's perfect for capturing and mobility. Just find something you want to grab, and the whips will do whatever you will them to. But... there's a bit of a downside._

_'Of course there is.' _Izuku thought tiredly. There was always a downside in his life wasn't there.

"_You see, Black Whip's strength is dependent on the strength of the user. And since you have the strength equivalent to destroy a multitude of city blocks, they've adapted to that strength. So until you master you're new strength, it might hurt a little bit to use it."_

_'I guess I'm used to that.'_

_"You're pretty used to that though aren't you? Luckily it shouldn't break your bones. It'll just feel like they're in a hydraulic press... that doesn't sound much better. You're arms will be fine, okay. Well, unless the doctor says your x-ray was bad. In which case your arms are totally screwed."_

A female third voice chimed in from the void, _"Wow, way to make the kid feel better."_

_"Nana, I'm trying alright!?" _He turned back to Izuku, sighed, and chuckled. "_You'll be just fine kid. We couldn't have asked for anyone better to complete this quirk in it's entirety."_

_'Wait, complete? What does he mean by that?'_

_"Okay, I think it's time you wake up. Get back to your girlfriend. Oh! I should also mention that we won't watch when you kids get, uh... frisky."_

_"Pfft, I'm gonna. She's lovely by the way." _The female voice said.

"_Nana that's really weird. And I thought we agreed only I would talk."_

_"I wanna talk to him too. He's my successor's successor after all."_

_"Can you both please just stop."_

The voices started to fade away as more of them began to bicker. Soon they were gone, and Izuku was left in the void by himself. And by void, it was really the back of his eyelids. Izuku opened his eyes to see the the white ceiling of his hospital room. '_The wielders seem like...an odd family.'_

Izuku didn't want to move. Momo was still wrapped around him, her warm breath against his neck. Her body heat and the blankets encased him in the perfect warmth. He never knew, and never thought he would ever know, how amazing it felt to wake up with someone. He...he could really get used to this.

The feeling of her curled up with him…

The soft glow of the sunrise behind the curtains…

His mom and All Might standing at the end of the bed…

The perfect war-"AAAH!"

Izuku slapped his hand over his mouth, hoping he didn't wake Momo. She seemed undisturbed, so Izuku slowly looked back to the intruders at the foot of the bed. Inko was silently crying with her hands over her mouth, and Toshi looked...kinda impressed.

"Wow, you work fast. I haven't even gotten to that base yet." Toshinori whispered.

Inko was switching back and forth between extremely happy and downright furious. "Oh Izuku I'm so happy you've found such a beautiful girl to love but _**how could you take her innocence so early! I raised you better than this!" **_Inko whisper-yelled through her teeth.

"What!? No! Nothing happened! We just-" Momo began to move around in her sleep, consciousness slowly coming back. Izuku frantically waved the adults out of the room. Toshinori picked Inko up, knowing she wouldn't move in that state, and carried her out of the room to give the teens some privacy. Not without giving Izuku a thumbs up on the way out.

Momo began to stretch away the slumber from her muscles. Izuku did his best to ignore the feeling of having her stretch out her body against him, and the two quite large pillowy mounds that pressed against him...He wasn't doing a very good job. She lifted her head up and put it down on next to Izuku's on the pillow

She barely opened her eyes, "G'morning." She mumbled out.

"Good morning." Izuku almost laughed at an early morning Momo. He imagined she would wake up looking the same as she did when she went to bed. And then go through a prim and proper morning routine. But, it seemed even angels had human qualities.

Her hair was splayed out everywhere. Strands of black falling across her face. Her eyes barely able to stay open, and movements extremely sluggish and almost reluctant. Almost like she didn't want to get out of bed forever. She yawned widely and moved her head forward. She softly and slowly pressed her lips to Izuku's.

Izuku really hoped this was just a small taste of what his future held.

...Well, except for his mom and All Might being in the room of course.

It almost made Izuku forget about everything that happened the previous day. He looked through the door window to see Detective Tsukauchi walk by.

... almost.

"N-Not that I want you to go, but uh someone could walk in."

"Hm? Oh, right. Yes, of course." Momo reluctantly got out of bed, but not before giving Izuku one last kiss. "I'll be there for your x-ray results. I'll see you then."

"O-Okay, bye." As soon as Momo was out the door, Izuku slumped back down into the pillow, staring wide eyed in disbelief of what he did last night.

The moment Momo entered the hallway, her shoulders were grabbed by Inko, still in the same state as before. "Oh I'm so happy that such a beautiful and wonderful young woman like you fallen for my Izuku **but why are you taking my baby away from me!"**

Inko was pried off of Momo by All Might, "She'll be like this for awhile. I suggest you come back when she's calmed down. I can only hold her back for so long."

"O-Oh, yes. Thank you Mr. Yagi." Momo took her cue to leave, and slipped back into her hospital room. Toshinori dragged Inko into Izuku's room.

"So Midoriya my boy, it seems you have a lot to tell us."

...

"Oh Izuku. Why do you have to go through so much?" Inko asked running her hand through her son's hair after Izuku retold his story.

"I-I wish I knew."

"Are you hungry? I could go get you some food."

"Yeah actually that sounds good. Could you bring Momo back something too? Something with healthy fats?"

"Oh! Of Course. I should probably go apologize to her for my behavior earlier. I'll be back soon." Inko stood up, and gave both Izuku and Toshi a kiss on the cheek, and left. All Might turned back to Izuku.

"Okay. Now it's time for you to tell the full story. During their interrogation of Spinner, he said he was pulled from the portal by a black energy. At first, we assumed Young Tokoyami. But, then he said it was actually _you_ that did it."

"...How many times have you spoken or seen the past users of One For All?"

Toshinori looked confused, "Two or three times at best. And even then it was I never spoke to them. I just saw their eyes and it was usually foggy and hard to remember. Why?"

"Because I did. I spoke to them. W-Well, I didn't actually speak. They s-spoke to me. I...I have one of their quirks."

"W-...What?"

"It's called Black Whip. It was one of the past users quirks. I can shoot out black tendrils to grab things. That's how I pulled Momo out of the portal."

Toshinori looked completely stunned. He slowly sat down in the chair next to the bed. "C-...Can I see?"

Izuku lifted up his hand, and barely tugged on the new sensation in his core. Small little whips began to spiral around his arm. It stung, but it wasn't that much. He deactivated it and looked back to All Might. "He said One For All e-evolved. A-And that...I would complete it in its entirety."

"What does that mean?"

"I think it means that I-I'm going to gain all of the past users quirks."

Toshinori was baffled. He'd never even heard of something like this ever happening to any of the previous users. Granted, the only one he knew of was Nana. But, she never mentioned anything of the sort to him. 5 quirks not including himself, Izuku, the first wielder, and the one Izuku has now. "Well that's...new."

"Yeah…How are we gonna explain it to the rest of the class?"

"Well, we'll just have to say you have two quirks now. It's not unseen to have more than one power, and we already have the story that your first one came in late. So, why not a second one?"

"Because the odds of that are nearly impossible."

"Yes, but we've established you're a pretty lucky kid. This is the only idea I have. We'll have to train this new ability once you're better. I, uh I should go call Gran Torino. Maybe Nana told him something about this." As Toshinori began to walk off, Izuku stopped him.

"Actually, um...th-there's something I need to ask you?" All Might turned back around to Izuku, waiting for his question.

"B-Back at camp, right before I got Black Whip, I did something. Kacchan was about to be grabbed by a villain, and so was Momo. I saw that Kacchan was scared, no matter how much he tried to hide it. I-...I looked right at him...and I turned away. I went to save Momo instead." At this point, tears began to leak out of Izuku's eyes.

"He... He's captured because of me. I-It didn't save him. I CHOSE not to save him. He was right in front of me. B-But I know that Momo also could've been taken if I didn't. I just...did I do the wrong thing." Izuku waited for All Might to scold him. He already knew the answer.

"...No."

Or, at least he thought he did. "W-What? I did the _right_ thing?"

"No."

"...I-I don't understand."

Toshinori walked over to Izuku and sat on the edge of the bed. "Young Midoriya, sometimes there really isn't a right answer. I know that when being a hero, 'save the people' is always the first answer. But sometimes...you just can't save everyone. So you have to save everyone that you can."

"But I could've saved him!"

"How do you know?"

"I-..."

"I have a question for you now. Imagine someone has a gun, and Yaoyorozu is to one side of the man, and a citizen is to the other. Whoever you run to, the criminal will shoot the other. Do you save the one you love? Or the civilian? If you save Momo, you save the woman you love and can continue to live happily. But, you failed your job to save the citizen. If you save the citizen, you saved someone and they can return home to their family. But, you lose the person who you love."

"...I...I would save both."

" That's almost never an option."

"Well, I would stop the gunman before he could shoot either of them."

Toshinori nodded, "Good. That's the best outcome anyone can hope for."

"...But not the right answer?"

"There is no right answer, because you can't predict the outcome. What if you try to attack the criminal, and he kills them both before you can stop him? Then no one is saved. Midori-... Izuku, I know the media portrays heroes as gods. Great people saving lives with amazing powers. But you forget... we're still human. We have to do things even if we don't like it. Even the most selfless can be selfish. We can't do everything, and we can't save everyone. What you did was both. You saved a life, but you saved them based on a bias. Selfless, and selfish."

"I still don't understand."

"I know. No matter what I say, you'll still feel bad. That's good, it shows how much you care and how heroic your heart is. But, at the end of the day...you just have to save everyone that you can. Whether you choose to save one person, or somehow manage to save them both is entirely dependent on you. Some would easily choose the one they love. Others would choose the civilian. You're still human Izuku. Besides, you were under extreme pressure at the time. And she's the first, and hopefully only, girl that you fell for. You didn't want to lose that. And I'm guessing in the end, you still tried to save them both right?"

Izuku looked down to his lap, "Y-Yeah."

Toshinori stood up, and walked to the door. "You'll face these choices more than once in your life Young Izuku. Sometimes there just isn't a right one. We'll save Young Bakugou, I promise. You can make it up to him then. I'll be back in a minute."

With that, he walked out the door for Izuku to lament on everything. Izuku expected All Might to be angry and say he should've saved the day. But, Izuku forgot that All Might was human too. He didn't know every answer. And he also knew when there wasn't one. He didn't want to think about how many times All Might has had to face that kind of choice throughout his career. How many people he's saved...and how many people he wasn't able to.

He knew All Might didn't want him to think that sacrifices should be made and he should let anyone die. Toshinori was just trying to tell him life has questions that have no real solution.

_'Save everyone I can...I will. No matter what.'_


	30. RecoveryAgain: Part Two

*_Knock* *Knock* *Knock*_

Momo turned to her hospital room door to see Inko walk through with a tray of food. The teen immediately tensed up, afraid the mother of her boyfriend might hysterically come after her again. Inko saw Momo's posture and nervously chuckled.

"I've calmed down now. I'm terribly sorry about earlier. I guess I just wasn't as ready for my Izuku to have a girlfriend as I thought."

Momo relaxed, "It's quite alright. I did essentially intrude suddenly into your life."

"What!? No no no! I couldn't be happier that you're with Izuku. U-Uh, here I brought you some food. Izuku told me you bring things with healthy fats in them, so I hope salmon is okay."

Momo blushed and smiled at Izuku's caring attitude. Of course he would say that. "Salmon is perfect. Thank you." She took the tray and set it down into her lap, and began to eat. Inko sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Again, I'm sorry for my behavior. It was highly uncalled for." Momo waved her hands and swallowed the food she had in her mouth.

"No, please. It's alright. I'm sorry for the surprise. It's not exactly ideal to find your son in bed with a girl, especially one where their relationship just started."

Inko laughed, "Well, I guess I just didn't expect Izuku of all people to take that step in a relationship so fast... Actually, I-...I guess I should be happy that he's so comfortable and joyful."

Momo looked to Inko questioningly, "What do you mean?"

Inko suddenly looked saddened, and looked down to lap, fiddling with her hands. "Well, you see... I'm not sure if he's told you, but... Izuku didn't have the best childhood. H-He doesn't like to talk about. Even I don't know everything; he was very closed off at home. He still believes that I'm in the dark about everything, and truth be told that's mostly true. He would never tell me what was wrong or what was happening outside of home no matter how much I pushed and pried for answers. I even went to his school, but they just brushed me aside. I tried other parents, but most of them didn't even know who Izuku was. I read through his journals when he wasn't home to see if he ever wrote anything down, but it was all just hero information. All I could get was that bullying was going on, and that was by my own deduction."

At this point, tears began running down Inko's face. Momo sat up and rubbed the mother's arm, listening intently.

"I knew the kids picked on him when they were little, but Izuku led me to believe it all stopped shortly after it started. But...then I would notice my make-up was running out much faster than usual. Izuku would almost never leave the house when he didn't need to. He never spoke about having any friends. I would repeatedly get bills from his school saying that he ordered multiple new uniforms. He started doing his own laundry too. I went outside to our apartment complexes dumpster one night, and I found some of his uniforms tattered, and ripped, and burned. I tried and tried to bring it up to him, or the school, or other parents but all I got was lies."

Momo knew it was bad, but she had no idea it was this bad. She knew Izuku was far too vague about the topic back at that restaurant. Just when she started to somewhat calm her anger towards Bakugou, the fires of hatred came back thousands of times stronger.

"I tried to pull him out of the school, maybe move somewhere else. But we didn't have the money to do that at the time, and I knew Izuku would just be more devastated. U.A. was in Musutafu, so that meant Izuku wanted to be there. I already destroyed his dream once, I-...I just couldn't do it again. I even went so far as the police, but they felt that a 'quirkless boy' wasn't important enough compared to the rest of their cases." Inko spoke that last sentence through grit teeth, clearly still furious about it.

"The little boy I knew that ran around in his All Might onesie with an even bigger smile than his favorite hero slowly vanished. He still smiled, but there was something vacant in them. I could see how tired he was. He genuinely smiled so little that I treasured each and every day that he gave one. I wondered how Izuku became so thin and small when I cooked so much. But, then I realized he was hardly eating. I-I just...there were some nights when he wouldn't be home at his regular time, or I wouldn't hear from him all day, or he wouldn't leave his room and I wouldn't hear any noise coming from him. Those...Th-Those were night's where I was the most terrified. Those were night's where I was afraid Izuku wasn't coming home. Those were night's where I almost didn't open his door to check on him... because I was afraid of what I'd find."

Momo didn't know what to say. Her mouth wouldn't move. She was so furious at Izuku's school, his bullies, of course Bakugou, and at the world in general. All of this, just because someone was born quirkless. But, Momo was also terrified. She was scared of what Inko was implying.

_'Does she think that...does she think that Izuku could have possibly been...No. It can't be._

No matter how hard she tried, Momo couldn't exactly say it wouldn't make sense. Most people with Izuku's past would likely already have decided to check out of the hotel called "Life". She already thought Izuku's past was terrible, but now...it was far worse than she ever even thought.

"B-But look at me, jumping to conclusions! So sorry to get a little morbid there. That's just my worrywart mother mind. I always think of the worst outcome, I just get so worried for Izuku." Inko was trying to wipe away her tears and wobbly smile, but Momo could see she was just trying to blind herself to what she knew was likely true. Inko was a strong woman, but this definitely wasn't something her heart could handle.

"I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you into this relationship. If it doesn't work out, then it doesn't work out. I...I just thought you should know this if you really love my son. And, I'm just so thankful that he has you now. Especially such a beautiful and intelligent one. Now he smiles so much. He's just so happy now that he has you. He's been like that for months. I'm so happy he has you and Toshi to make up for all my failures." Inko took Momo into a hug. "Thank you."

Momo hugged her back, "You didn't fail. If you did, Izuku wouldn't be the amazing person I fell for. Without you, I wouldn't have him. So I should be thanking you."

Inko laughed shakily, "Oh wow, Izuku really knows how to pick 'em." Momo laughed alongside her.

"Thank you."

"Oh, and I know my Izuku doesn't have a dirty mind. But, please don't tell me he did it for your breasts."

Momo flushed in embarrassment, "No. No of course not. Izuku was one of the only boys in class to not look at my body all the time. I can tell, he loves me for me. And I for him."

"He looks now though, right?"

"...He tries not to, but yes."

"Hehe, that's my boy." Inko said sarcastically. "As far as I'm concerned, welcome to the family."

"Thank you Ms. Mido-"

"Inko, sweetheart. You can call me Inko."

Momo smiled, "Okay, Inko."

"...Or Mom."

"Let's wait on that one."

"Yes, yes, of course."

Momo was happy to have been officially accepted by Inko, but her stomach still held a massive pit in it. Confidence and self esteem might be an issue for her, but Momo had no idea how to handle to realm of a depressed individual. Izuku clearly wasn't the same person he used to be. She felt that all his smiles were genuine, and he was truly happy to be here.

In the past however...Momo was blind about it until now. She didn't want to scare Izuku away so fast into their relationship. She knew he wouldn't actually leave, but he might lock his doors and hide his feelings. This was something that, if true, he needed to tell himself. She couldn't force it out of him. Besides, Inko said she was jumping to conclusions, and Izuku has mentioned before that his mother worried about things far too much. So, there's a good chance that her concern didn't need to reach DEFCON 1.

...Hopefully.

...

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Momo had to take her phone away from her ear at the high pitched girlish squeal. She was on her way over to Izuku's room for his x-ray results when she decided to make this call. Momo would expect such a reaction about her relationship status from Mina or Tooru…

...But definitely not Edgeshot.

"I knew it! I told you, and you just kept denying it, over and over again! Oh I'm just so proud!"

"I didn't think it really mattered to you all that much Sensei." She didn't actually call to tell him this. She had seen he called multiple times today. The news of the day before yesterday, probably reached him finally. Momo meant to just tell him she was alright, but it had evolved into this.

"Are you kidding me? I've spent multiple nights worrying myself to death that you wouldn't ever accept your feelings."

Momo lifted an eyebrow. What happened to the calm and quippy hero she knew before? Now he was acting like a schoolgirl who loved drama and gossip...so essentially Mina. "Sensei...you don't get out much do you?"

"Nope. Now enough about my personal life, give me details. You guys kiss yet?"

"... Yes."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Momo took her phone away from her ear again. "Alright! Alright, calm down. I have to go, said boyfriend is getting his x-rays done. I'll talk to you later." Momo ended the call and entered Izuku's hospital room. She saw him sitting on his bed with a very tired looking doctor standing next to it. The doctor probably hasn't gotten very much sleep with how hectic the hospital has been.

She still had that feeling in the back of her mind from her earlier conversation with Inko.

Toshinori and Inko were in the chairs next to Izuku's bed, but there were no more chairs to sit in. The doctor saw this and lazily waved to the bed. "Go ahead and sit down next to him, you already claimed the spot when you slept here."

"...You saw us."

"Kid, this is a hospital. We check on our patients all the time. Of course we saw you." Momo blushed as Toshinori just chuckled in his seat. Inko nudged him to stop, but she couldn't stop her smirk either. Momo sat down to the right of Izuku, and the doctor pulled up the x-ray results on his computer.

"Alright, you're arms fine. Bones are fully healed thanks to the healing quirks here...But, there's something else." Everyone perked up at this sudden announcement. "To be honest, it's not really a problem right now, but it could potentially be in the future. You see, bones and muscles can heal and become stronger. However…"

The doctor pulled up another picture of Izuku's arms, but zoomed in on his elbow. "Ligaments are a whole nother story. They're meant to preserve joint integrity, and yours seem to be on a decline. Like I said, at the moment it's not too troubling. And it's mostly in your right arm. But, if you break your arms like you did a few days ago one or two more times, than the deterioration of the ligaments could start to seriously increase. It could possibly even mean rehab."

Izuku looked down to his arms and tried to bend them. They still worked normally, but they were definitely stiff. "And if you do reach the point where the deterioration becomes a serious issue, than breaking your arms after that will be devastating. Once again, it's not too serious at the moment. But if you make this a trend, you could lose the use in your arms permanently."

Everyone's stomach dropped after that. Permanent loss of use in his arms... would be terrible. Izuku didn't know what to say. Luckily All Might chimed in for him. "Thank you doctor. We're glad this problem was caught before it got serious. Is there anyway to help his arms?"

"Really just don't break 'em. They'll heal slowly. Maybe not fully, but they'll get better. Oh, and I'm not going to, but Recovery Girl told me to hit you in the head with something. Apparently she's getting sick of these types of injuries on you. She also told me that I should ask if you're okay with some more scars." Izuku lifted up his eyebrow in confusion. The doctor then began to unravel his bandages for everyone to see lashing scars run across Izuku's arms.

One scar ran from the middle of his bicep to the back of his right arm. There were two scars on his right forearm. One directly on the side, and the other running across the top of his forearm to almost his elbow. There were smaller ones scattered across his limb, and a large smooth scarred patch under his shoulder on the side of his arm.

"YYYYeah. Some of these scars are from whatever you did to break them in the first place. But some of them, like that pick scar patch, is from something we're not sure about. It was almost like something exploded out of your arm."

Izuku sighed inwardly, it was Black Whip. Using Black Whip while his arm was in the condition it was in at the time must've blew away some skin. Izuku used to not really like his scars. They were ugly to him at first, and of course they were the result of him not being able to control his quirk. But now he actually felt a little proud of them.

His hand scars were from the festival. He got those scars not only helping Todoroki, but he was keeping his promises to Momo on the day they actually spoke to one another for the first time. And to think that's what sparked what their relationship was today.

The new scars were earned from saving Kota, and later on saving Momo. He would NEVER regret any of those things. So now, these scars were just like the name Deku. They were reminders of how far he's come. If scars were the price to get where he was now…

Momo took his hand in hers, and softly rubbed her thumb along his hand scars.

... then he'd get a million more.

"It's okay. I-I got these scars saving somebody. T-they're worth it."

The doctor raised his brows up. "Hm. That's the spirit kid. Speaking of which, this came for you two today." The doctor pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his breast pocket. "Little kid with a red hat found me. Told me to give it to you."

_'...Kota.' _Izuku slowly took it in his hands.

"Healing starts with the mind. This should be a good first step." The doctor gathered his things, and left the room. Izuku looked down at the letter again, and then to Momo. They opened it up.

_Dear Midoriya and Yaoyorozu,_

_I'm sorry for punching you in the junk Midoriya. And I'm sorry I looked into the girl's springs on accident Yaoyorozu. Thank you for saving me even though you didn't know me. Please get better soon so I can thank you both in person._

_Sincerely, Kota_

_P.S: If you two wouldn't mind, when we meet again could you not kiss in front of me like that again. It was a little uncomfortable._

Both teens blushed at that last message, but the message was still sent across. The letter meant a lot to both, but even more to Izuku. After 16 years, after living 15 of them quirkless, after everything, he actually had a fan letter. Someone actually was thanking him for his actions, not that he wanted thanks or praise.

For the first time, Izuku truly felt like a real hero.

A wobbly smile dawned his face. Everyone saw this, and realized this was a significant moment for Izuku. Toshinori stood up and ruffled Izuku's hair, "You take some time to yourselves. You both did amazing. You're both true heros. Midoriya my boy, I'll be back soon to take you to the station." Inko stood up with Toshinori and kissed both teenagers on the forehead.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispered. The adults then left the room for Izuku to compose himself.

"Are you alright Izuku?"

"Y-Yeah...yeah I'm fine. I-I'm great actually."

"What did he mean about the police station?"

"Hm? Oh! Y-Yeah um, the police think that Spinner will tell them where their hideout is if I talk to him. They said if I can convince him that Shigaraki really did tell me that Stain doesn't work for him, then he'll talk."

Momo seemed a little unsure. "I guess the logic is there. Back at camp he refused to attack us. He called us true heroes like Stain always preached. Just be careful, okay."

Izuku nodded, "I will. But, you said he called you a true hero too. And you were there when Shigaraki told me all of that. So maybe you should come too. It might help having us both there."

"That sounds good to me. Besides, I can keep an eye on you."

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, "I-I don't get into trouble _that _much." Momo raised her brow at him. "...Okay, that's fair." The couple laughed at Izuku's admission. Momo leaned forward and kissed the corner of his lips.

"Definitely a trouble magnet. But my trouble magnet," Momo said. Izuku blushed, and returned the favor with a kiss of his own.

...and then Momo returned that one…

...and then Izuku returned the next…

"W-We should probably g-get ready to go to the police station."

Momo kissed him again, "They can wait 5 minutes."

Izuku kissed her again, "Or 10."

Momo put her arms around his neck and pressed their lips together, "Or 20."

Izuku wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her once more, "Or an hour."

Momo giggled and pushed Izuku down into the pillows, "Maybe even two hours." They closed the gap between their mouths, and continued with their session from last night.

Izuku didn't know what if felt like to be addicted to drugs, but kissing or touching Momo had to be a close second...or probably even more addicting. He just couldn't get enough. He felt like he was on fire, but in a good way. A nice, amazing, euphoric way.

Just for a second, he opened his eyes to see Momo's closed as they kissed. Her hair fell around them, creating a black curtain giving them privacy during their intimate moments. Momo's eyes opened to meet his. As she looked at him, Momo had a sly look in her eyes. She began to nibble his lower lip again.

Screw drugs. If she ever broke up with him, no amount of rehab would ever be able to fix his addiction.

This sparked something in Izuku. Something he never thought he would ever feel with another human being. He rolled over so he was on top, and began to nibble her lip this time. His arms wrapped tighter around her, and he switched from her lip to her earlobe.

Momo was surprised to say the least. This was new. Very new, and very fast...but she definitely wasn't going to complain. Izuku then switched his kissing to pulse point on her neck , she let out a very tiny involuntary moan.

Izuku's mind immediately focused on that moan. It was small, and hardly even audible, but it was a moan nonetheless.

...And he caused it.

…He, Izuku Midoriya, managed to make a female, an utterly, angelically gorgeous female that actually liked him no less, actually feel good.

_'...Bullies be damned.'_

"Um, should we go?" Izuku and Momo both swung their heads towards the door to see the entirety of Class 1-A (Minus Bakugou, Kyouka, and Tooru) awkwardly standing a few feet from the bed. Kaminari was at the head of the pack. The duo was frozen, too embarrassed at being caught in the act to move. "...Yeah we'll go."

Denki began to shepard the class out of the room, "Alright people, visiting hours are postponed for now! These two are about to bone! We gotta move!"

Momo covered her face in shame, "It wasn't like that! We weren't-...It's too soon!"

Izuku slammed his face into the pillow as if he were an ostrich. The class awkwardly began to shuffle out of the room Before they could all leave, Izuku spoke out, "Wait! Aoyama!"

The twinkling teenager turned around at his name being called. "Yes mon ami?"

"I-I just wanted to say that, without your help I wouldn't have been able to save Momo or even get Spinner captured. Thank you. I c-can't ever repay you for what you did."

Momo propped herself up on her elbows at this, "He's right. Without you or Izuku, I would be off being tortured somewhere. If there's anything we can ever do, please tell us."

Aoyama looked baffled, almost surprised by his thanks. "Th-...Merci. No repayment is required. Merci mes amis." He walked out with a warm smile on his face, and closed the door. Izuku and Momo had a feeling that Aoyama just considered what they just said as thanks enough.

Izuku looked back down to Momo below him, "S-S-Sorry. I guess I didn't hear them come in."

"It's alright. I clearly didn't hear them either."

"S-So should we get ready?"

Momo smiled, and grabbed onto the collar of Izuku's hospital robes. "Hm? I thought we both agreed they could wait a couple of hours." Izuku blushed and smiled goofily as Momo dragged him back down.

…

"Like a couple of Catholic rabbits." As happy as Toshinori was for the two teenagers, they really needed to learn when and where was the right time to make out. Had had to spray them down with water just to get their up attention. _"I mean, I get it. They're hormonal teenagers who've been bottling those feelings for quite some time and they want to release them. But, man they do it a lot."_

Thankfully he had managed to pry them off of one another long enough to get them to the police station, and now Toshinori had just finished changing in Detective Tsukauchi's office and was ready to talk to Spinner. "Well, *_Poof* _**at least they're happy."**

Toshinori, now in buff form, took his leave and made his way down to the interrogation room where Tsukauchi, Izuku, Momo, and a couple of other officers were waiting. Through the two sided mirror was Spinner locked down into a chair on one side of a table. **"Ah! Good! You're both here. And luckily not sucking each other's faces off."**

Izuku just facepalmed, and Momo was embarrassed and shocked that All Might knew about that. "How do you know about that?!"

**"Mr. Yagi jokingly warned me that I might walk in on you two. Haha! Young love! Anywho, I think we should get this started. The faster we get this information, the faster we can get Young Bakugou home safely."**

Tsukauchi stood up from his chair, "Agreed. Alright you three, here's how it's gonna go. We'll start off with Midoriya and Yaoyorozu. All you two have to do is tell him the truth, and I'll handle the pressuring. If he doesn't crack, then we bring in you All Might. We want you as a Plan B because if he sees you he might become over-excitable. Which also is a major problem with Plan C. Plan C could also turn out dangerous if something absolutely terrible happens."

Momo turned to the detective, "What's Plan C?"

"Uh, let's just hope we don't need Plan C. Are you two ready?" Izuku and Momo both looked at each other, both questioning whatever Plan C was. But, they decided to trust the detective's judgement. They both nodded. "Okay then. Officer Amano, open the door."

The officer opened up the door, and Tsukauchi walked in. "Spinner, we brought you some visitors today." He motioned to Izuku and Momo as they walked through the door.

"Ah, finally. People I can respect. Don't think this will change anything." Spinner said from his chair. Izuku and Momo both took a seat across from Spinner.

"Now, you know about their fight with the Hero Killer, but do you know about their encounter with your boss Shigaraki?"

"I'm assuming you mean the mall? Yeah, that's where he got his middle finger cut off by the girl. It's why she was on the capture list. He was going to torture her. I was against it, but I was outnumbered."

Momo wasn't sure if she should thank him or not.

Tsukauchi leaned forward towards Spinner, "Correct. But, do you know exactly _why _she had to cut off his finger?"

Spinner squinted at the detective, unsure of where he was going with the conversation. "I...can't say I do."

"Interesting... Yaoyorozu would you like to explain?"

Momo perked up, and nodded. "I cut off Shigaraki's finger when I saw he was holding Izuku captive. He was holding a hand to his throat, and any other attack might have caused Shigaraki to instinctually close his hand around Izuku's neck. So...I felt it necessary to stop it by any means necessary."

"Thank you Yaoyorozu. Did you hear that? He was holding Midoriya hostage. Did Shigaraki mention that to you?"

Spinner cocked his head to the side and squinted, "No. No he didn't. But, it is really that important? We're villains. It's what we do."

Tsukauchi shrugged, "True. Very true. But don't you wonder why he went specifically after Midoriya, the first responder to the attack on the other student and Native. The one that Stain saved from _one of Shigaraki's own creatures."_

Spinner was taken aback by that. He had never actually thought about it. Stain had killed one of the nomu. Sure it was to save Midoriya, a true hero. But, he didn't need to kill it. And on the news, Stain was nowhere near the locations the nomu's attacked. They were found in some random alley multiple city blocks away. _'Shouldn't he have been a part of the attack? He worked with the league.'_

"Perhaps you could elaborate Midoriya?"

Izuku heard his cue, and started. "Shigaraki came to ask me a question. He asked me why all of Stain's actions were being spotlighted by the media while he was being ignored. I thought he was working with Stain, like you and everyone else. But, he said that it wasn't true and he actually hated Stain."

Spinner's eyes went wide, but they went back to a sneer. "You're lying. You're just saying that to make me talk. What would Shigaraki gain from lying to a bunch of killers? Sounds dangerous to me."

Tsukauchi shrugged again, "New followers, bigger reputation, more media spotlight, higher fear factor, should I continue?"

"No. I don't believe you. And lying isn't very heroic. Maybe you two aren't as heroic as once thought." Tsukauchi leaned back and knocked on the two sided mirror.

"Well, we actually have someone here to vouch for them." The door opened and All Might squeezed his way through. The face Spinner was making gave everyone reason to believe that he needed a change of pants.

"A-A-All Might!?"

**"I am here to help with this interrogation! Mr... Spinner, was it? I can assure you that these two are as honest as they come. Young Yaoyorozu here is the Vice President of her class. Representing the best of heroic behavior is her specialty. And Young Midoriya was elected the Class President, but he voluntarily stepped down to give someone else the position. Sounds pretty heroic to me." **All Might leaned down so he was inches away from a wide-eyed Spinner. **"Take it from me, All Might! The epitome of honesty and justice! Shigaraki has betrayed you. Please, tell us where he is so we can put him where he belongs."**

Tsukauchi got just as close to Spinner as All Might. "C'mon, think about it. Has Shigaraki ever even mentioned Stain? Has he even given any thought to breaking him out of prison? Has Shigaraki shown any sign of agreeing with Stain's ideals? In fact, according to our reports you were kidnapping Bakugou to try and recruit him. Wouldn't taking in a hero-in-training and turning him evil make him a 'fake' like Stain preaches about? Isn't it against your code to not kill and breed more fake heroes?"

Spinner was now sweating profusely. He was trying to keep his mouth shut. He was still denying it and didn't want to believe any of this. If he did, then that means everything he's done has been against Stain's will. He would have failed him.

Tsukauchi realized that Spinner wasn't talking after a minute or two. He sighed, and looked back into the mirror. "Alright... bring him in. All guns trained on him at all times."

Izuku and Momo heard more footsteps enter the other room. The door opened, and rolled in on a restraint board was Stain himself. He was constricted in a straight jacket and multiple chains and metal quirk suppressant bars. 10 guards came in and took their places along the perimeter of the room.

If they thought Spinner needed new pants before, now he couldn't ever wear pants again.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH! OH MY GOD STAIN! IT'S AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO MEET YOU! I'VE FOLLOWED YOUR IDEALS TO THE LETTER EVER SINCE-"

"Shut up. You're being too loud."

Spinner immediately quieted down. "Yes sir." He might have been quieter, but it was obvious he was trembling with excitement in his seat. Stain looked over to All Might, Izuku, and Momo. He smiled under his plastic mouth cover.

"Ah! All Might! The day has finally come to-"

**"You're not here for me. You're here for your number one fan over there." **Toshinori said gesturing to Spinner. **"You have something you need to tell him."**

"Tch, what is this? One of those sick kid celebrity hospital visits?"

**"Just answer the question. Did you, or did you not work for the League of Villains?"**

"Those fools? Of course not. That brat in charge had no purpose. He just did what he did purely just because. I wanted nothing to do with them."

That was the final straw. Spinner could no longer deny the truth. Stain himself had said it, and Stain was no liar.

He had been lied to.

Tsukauchi put his hands together and calmly asked Spinner once more. "So Spinner, are you ready to answer our question?"

"... Yokohama. Kamino Ward, Yokohama. There's an abandoned bar down the road from the main shopping district. That's where the boy is being kept. As for the pro, I'm not exactly sure but I think it's the hangar. We were given a nomu to aid us during the camp attack. We had to go to some abandoned hangar to get pick one. It's like one big lab full of 'em, just a few more blocks downtown. But... something was wrong with that place. Most of it was completely closed off. It felt like we were being watched the entire time. Random T.V. screens would be on with nothing but static. Wires and tubes and old I.V. bags were everywhere. Something is definitely wrong there."

Tsukauchi hurriedly wrote that all down, and handed it to one of the officers. "Get that to the chief NOW! We need every hero in the area and all others that are available. Anyone in the top 10 that you can. We need every swat team on this job. Go!" The officer hurried off with the instructions. "Thank you Spinner. You might've just saved some lives. As a reward, meet your new cellmate."

Tsukauchi pointed to Stain. "Wait, what!?"

"EEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Wait hold on I didn't agree to this!" Stain tried to intervene, but Tsukauchi had already left the room. Izuku, Momo, and All Might went after him. The detective was jogging down the hall, eager to start the rescue. All Might stopped his students.

**"You two need to head back to the hospital and gather the rest of your things. Head home and rest up. Young Bakugou will be just fine, I promise."**

Izuku tried to interject, "But-"

**"Young Midoriya, it's okay. We'll make it back." **With that, he chased after his detective friend. Izuku still felt uneasy. Something was wrong. He didn't know what, but something just felt off. As soon as the hangar was brought up, his stomach felt funny. For some reason, his body wanted nothing to do with it.

And Bakugou...how long would it take for them to gather the pros? Bakugou had already been there for nearly 2 days. Izuku knew Bakugou wouldn't turn. Soon they would realize he was a lost cause, and then…

_'So you have to save everyone that you can.'_

"Oh no."

Izuku looked over to Momo at her words. "What?"

"Izuku, I know that look in your eyes. You're going, aren't you?"

"...I-I turned away from him. I looked him dead in the eyes, and didn't save him. I could reach him, but I CHOSE not to. I know I can't save everyone. But, I have t-to save everyone that I can. Everyone I can reach. And now, I can. I can reach him. I have to do something. Preparing t-the rescue will take until nightfall, and that's being very generous. Not to mention they have to travel to Kamino Ward. Ka-...Bakugou won't turn, and once they realize he's a lost cause they'll kill him. We don't have any time to waste. He's on a timer. We have to beat the clock."

Momo knew he wasn't backing down. Either he was going with help, or he was going alone. Those were the only options her was going to give her, and she couldn't bear the thought of something happening to him if she wasn't there. And as rocky as her relationship was with Bakugou, he was still a classmate. She may hate him, but a life was on the line. Grudges took a back seat for this matter.

Besides, she said she'd break the rules for him.

"... We'll need more than just the two of us. I don't want to drag anyone down with the ship, but we won't be enough."

"... Y-you're okay with this?"

"No. But what choice do we have. Also, we can't get caught. Not just by the villains, but the heroes and police as well. We need to get Bakugou, and get out. If we get caught fighting unlicensed again, it's essentially over."

"Y-Yeah. You're right. And I already have some people in mind that I know will help."

Momo rubbed her temples, "This is crazy. Absolutely insane. But, I guess that's what I signed on for."

"Signed on for what?"

"Loving you. We have to hurry if we want to get a train before dark." She grabbed Izuku's hand, and they both ran to the exit. Izuku was already dialing the number of the manliest guy in class.


	31. The Rescue: Part One

_*This is Inko Midoriya. I'm sorry, but I can't answer the phone at the moment. Please leave a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can. Thank you*_

_*Beep*_

"Inko, it's Toshi. I know you left your phone back at your place when we rushed to see Young Midoriya in the hospital. That's why I called now. I'm not sure how I would even make this call if it was in real time. I just wanted to call and say that I'm going out of town for the night. I'll be back tomor...No. I can't promise that. I'm going off to help rescue Young Bakugou. I have every intention to make it back, but there's something about this mission that's far more than just a rescue. And due to that, no amount of determination can guarantee I'll survive. I don't have time to explain everything; Young Midoriya will have to fill in all the gaps. And you might be wondering why I'm even going in the first place. Well…"

Toshinori took a deep breath.

"...I am All Might. I know that makes no sense, but it will eventually. I need to go rescue Young Bakugou and stop someone that puts you and Midoriya's life in terrible danger. That person has a high chance of killing me, which I of course will do everything in my power to stop. But...I can't make any promises. So I...I just wanted to say...I...I love you."

That was the first time either of them had said it.

"I know it's only been a few months since we met. But, these last three months have been the best of my entire life. Not to mention the entire year I've had with your son. I knew that whoever was responsible for such an amazing young man, I had to love. And, so I did. You both have changed my life greatly. I've never had much family throughout my life, and I've lost most of them. But with Young Mi-... Izuku, I've gotten a taste at what it's like to have a son. And with you I've experienced a feeling that I've never felt before... which is love, I mean. Sorry, I'm not very good at this."

Toshinori felt the engine to the police van he was in the back of turn off. They had arrived.

"I have to go. I'm at the location where we'll rescue Bakugou. I...I know that was a lot, but I hope in time you'll understand. And forgive me for not telling you sooner or in person. Tell Izuku I'm proud of him. I've left my own words for him in a letter. And I've left most of everything I own to you two. By the way, if I don't come back a short grumpy man will probably stop by. And if I do come back, disregard this message... Goodbye Inko...and thank you for everything."

_*Beep*_

Toshinori put down his phone, and leaned his head back against the wall of the van.

*_ Knock Knock*_

"You ready All Might?" Tsukauchi asked from the outside.

"No." Toshinori whispered to himself. *******_POOF*_**

Toshinori buffed up and opened up the van door. **"Is everyone in position?"**

"Yeah. We're just waiting on you. Endeavor's waiting outside the building. Gran Torino, Kamui Woods and Edgeshot are waiting on the roof for you. They'll breach on your word. I and the rest of the swat team will surround the perimeter. And uh...are you sure you don't want to be on the Hangar team. With what Spinner said... it's likely _He's _there."

"**No. He'll have to wait. Young Bakugou is the top priority. He's only a boy, and he's my student. I can't let him get hurt. If I chose my personal matters over him I'd never be able to live with myself."**

Tsukauchi nodded and turned to another officer, "Alright. Sergeant! What can you see?" Sergeant Aoi's quirk was Heat Signature, and he was looking at the building up and down.

"Uh...Sir? We have a problem."

"What do you mean?" Tsukauchi asked with worry rising ever higher.

"As far as I can tell... there's no one in the building." Tsukauchi and All Might both looked at each other in confusion and panic. Toshinori immediately leapt to the second floor and punched through the wall. The dust cleared for Toshinori to find...an empty bar.

But, there was more. There seemed to be a struggle. Chairs and bottles were either on the floor or smashed. The ventilation grate above the bar was gone, and there was a hole in the ceiling. A pile of half melted ice was behind the bar. But no Bakugou or villains in sight.

Toshinori looked down to the ground at Tsukauchi and nodded, confirming Aoi's observation. Tsukauchi looked completely confused. "Breach and search the building!"

All of the swat teams bust down doors, crashed through the windows, even the heroes infiltrated and began to search. But, not a soul was found.

Toshinori didn't understand. This was the only bar that matched Spinner's description. They couldn't have gotten it wrong, right? And who was here before. There are clear signs of struggle and break in. Did someone get here before they did? If so, then who?

Toshinori looked over to Edgeshot. He was shakily reaching down to something he had found under all the broken wood. "Edgeshot? What did you find?"

The Shinobi slowly turned around with wide eyes staring down at the items in his hands. Toshinori's jaw dropped when he saw it as well.

...it was Momo's sword, Fushigiri.

Or, at least a replica. Edgeshot could see it looked far newer and less scuffed than the original, and Momo could easily make replica's. There was no one else who could know how this sword looks with such accurate detail. She was the only person he showed it too.

She had been here.

Toshinori recognized the sword, and who it most likely belonged to. And he also knew that if she was here, then a certain green-haired teenager would be right with her.

Edgeshot shot slid the sword in his belt, acting like it was his. He knew it was wrong to hide evidence, but he couldn't let her get in trouble again. But, they couldn't have done all this by themselves. The ice must be Todoroki's, and Toshinori was certain the three of them weren't the only ones.

_'Of course Young Midoriya would come here. What was I thinking? But... were they successful? Did they get Bakugou and leave? Or... captured?'_

*_ KZZZT* "TSUKAUCHI COME IN! TSUKAUCHI!"_

All eyes turned to look at Tsukauchi. All Might and Edgeshot looked to the ground to see the detective hurriedly grabbing his Walkie-Talkie.

"Hangar Team come in! What's wrong!?"

_"All the heroes are down! Someone's blown through the entire factory and took them down! He's blown through a few city blocks too! The hostages are down there! Get every police, evac, and medical unit here immediately!"_

"Hold on! Who did all this!? And...did you say hostages? As in more than one?"

_"It's a man in a black suit and mask. I can't tell what his quirk is. It looks like multiple."_Toshinori's heart stopped. _"The Bakugou kid is there, but there's someone else. Slicked back hair and a goatee."_

Toshinori's heart somewhat eased…

_"His hair is green and black."_

...and then immediately skyrocketed to an unhealthy speed.

Without waiting for anyone, All Might shot into the sky in the direction of the hanger. Tsukauchi was rushing towards his car to follow him, but before he could reach it a swirl of black liquid emerged before him. More and more of the same liquids began to appear before their eyes...and nomu's emerged from them.

Tsukauchi had only one question. "What the hell is going on!?"

….

**(Musutafu: 4 hours earlier. 3:47 p.m.)**

_"I'm in."_

Momo and Izuku's eyes both widened in shock at Kirishima's voice over the phone. "Well that was easy." Both said simultaneously.

"When do we leave?"

"Meet us at the train station in an hour. We'll be there soon after with everyone we can get." Momo explained.

"Alright, I'll see you then. And uh...thanks guys. I...I know you guys don't get along with Bakugou, but it means a lot to me that you are going to save him and that you invited me. I'll be there."

_*Click*_

The couple looked at one another and just shrugged. "Well, one down..." Momo looked up at the door in front of them. "...whoever else we can get more to go."

She raised her hand up to ring the doorbell, but the door slid open before she could. The next thing they knew they were face to face with Endeavor, clad in his hero costume.. "Tch. It's you two. I have no time for this. Shoto's inside."

He marched past them and entered an awaiting car out on the road, and drove off. "Sorry about him." The two turned back around to see Shoto at the front door. "I'd say he's usually not like that, but... you know. He just got called in about whereabouts of Bakugou, so he's in a rush. What are you doing here?"

Izuku stepped forward, "Actually, that's exactly what we're here about. W-We... we're going to go save Bakugou. We know that sounds crazy, but the heroes might take too long, and I just need to make up for-"

*_ Thum* _

Todoroki closed the sliding door behind him, already bending down to tie his shoes. "So where are we headed?"

Momo looked down and muttered to herself, "This has been far easier than expected."

Izuku was just as confused, "But, why are you so eager to go?"

Todoroki finished tying his shoes and stood back up. "Bakugou was my partner during the trial, and when he was captured, I couldn't even catch up to you guys. I failed him. It's like when we fought Stain. I'm not just going to wait and let the Pro's save someone hours later when it's too late, when I can save someone right now."

Once again, Todoroki related to Izuku more than he'd probably know for a long time. Izuku smiled, "Alright then, you can help us with recruitment. Then we need to meet Kirishima at the station."

_*Slide*_

"Shoto? Are you going somewhere?" Todoroki's sister Fuyumi emerged from the house with her eyebrow raised.

"Yeah. I'll be gone for awhile. Not sure when I'll be back." Todoroki explained to her. Izuku squinted at Fuyumi in question.

"Hey, were...w-were you the one in the car with Todoroki when he was spying on me?"

Fuyumi began to sweat. "U-Uh N-N-No of course not! Why would I spy on you and that blonde guy?"

Momo raised her brow, "He never mentioned a blonde man."

"U-Uh...W-What was that!? Yes!? Coming Dad!"

"He just left."

Fuyumi awkwardly stared at them…

*_ SLAM*_

...and quickly slid the door shut.

Momo and Izuku slowly looked over to Todoroki. Momo opened her mouth to question him. "So...you spy my boyfriend?"

"My personal matters are not your concern. Let's go." He walked away before they could question him further. Momo swiveled to Izuku.

"And...you know that he spies on you...and don't do anything about it?"

"Momo, I'm not gonna lie to you. I have absolutely no idea what my life is anymore. A year ago I thought I had no quirk and was alone, and now I'm about to go save my former bully from villains while using a powerful quirk and a gorgeous girlfriend. At this point, I'm just going with the flow."

Momo looked as if she wanted to question that, but decided to just take the compliment and move on. "Fair enough." They turned around and caught up to Todoroki. They entered Momo's limo awaiting them, and Tsuji drove them off.

"So why did you guys come to my home? You could've just called." Todoroki whispered so that the driver wouldn't hear them through the closed cab window.

Momo answered, "Well you were on the way to our actual destination, so we decided to just stop by and call others instead."

"I see. Speaking of which, who else are we gonna tell about this?"

Izuku looked down at his feet. "We really don't want to get any more people trouble. We're only going for the people who we know will want to help. Really, now it's just Uraraka. I want to ask Iida, but...he won't approve."

Momo raised her hand, "I still don't fully approve either. I know the heroes should really be the ones to handle it, but I understand and see all of your points." She looked to Izuku. "Besides, your hyper-heroic nature is rubbing off on me. I also feel like I can't just sit by and do nothing when we can do something. I had to watch him get taken right next to me, but here I am perfectly fine. And who knows what he has had to endure. I don't like him, but I can't let him die...And being a supportive girlfriend of course." Momo exclaimed proudly with a hand on her chest, gesturing to herself.

Todoroki pursed his lips and turned away whispering, "I'm sure that's not the only thing of his rubbing off on you."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! So where are we going?" Todoroki redirected the conversation.

"U.A." Izuku said. "I need t-to pick something up before we go. Before we get there, I'll call Uraraka," he said pulling out his phone. He pulled up her contact and pressed call. They heard the rings, and she picked up.

_"Oh hey Deku. What's up?"_

"Hey Uraraka. Y-You're on speaker phone with me, Momo, and Todoroki right now. There's something we want to ask you. It's going to be crazy, and you can obviously say no, but just hear us out."

Uraraka was growing concerned, "_ Um...Okay." _

"O-Okay... we're going to go save Bakugou."

_"...What?"_

"Momo, Todoroki, Kirishima, and I are going to go and save Bakugou. We know where he's at. W-We can't be sure they won't kill him, especially when they realize Bakugou won't be told what to do. The police and heroes might take too long to get there, and… there are some other personal reasons as well."

The other end was silent for a while. "_ ...Yes. That is crazy. That's...what if the pros-"_

"We'll be there before they ever get there. We can sneak in and get Bakugou out without ever being-"

"_ Deku, that's unrealistic. The chances of not bein' caught are SUPER low. And your quirks aren't exactly stealthy...Well Yaomomo is an exception, but still. Bakugou won't even like being saved, and he definitely won't like it if it's you."_

Izuku rubbed the back of his head, "I-I know. You're right. B-But, we have to try. I can't just sit here. He was in my reach once and I turned away. I'm not letting it happen again. Like I said, you don't have to go. But...we could really use your help."

She was silent again for a minute. "_ ...I'm sorry. I can't. I want to help you, but...it's too risky. And, I'm watchin' after Kyouka too."_

Momo interrupted, "Oh! Is she finally awake? I went to visit her, but the doctor said she would be out for awhile."

_"No, but I'm makin' sure she's okay while she's asleep. I'm...I'm sorry you guys. I won't tell anyone, I promise. I know there's no stopping you. Just please be careful. Please."_

"We'll do our best." Midoriya tried to assure her.

Ochako chuckled, "_ I guess that's all I can ask for from you Deku. Momo…look after him. You too Todoroki."_

Momo sighed, "Why do I feel like that's somehow going to be the most difficult thing we do tonight?"

"Because it is," Todoroki said.

Izuku looked up exasperated. "Hey! C-Come on I-... Yeah you're right." Izuku sighed in defeat. Ochako laughed from the phone.

"_ Hehehe...Never change Deku. Good luck, you guys." _She ended the phone call after that. Izuku laid his head back against his seat, and closed his eyes.

"Well...I guess i-it's just us." Izuku felt Momo intertwined their hands from the seat next to him. He looked over to see her with an apologetic look on her face.

"She was right though. The chances of actually pulling off a stealth mission are too low for comfort."

"Except you. You could out-sneak Hagakure."

Todoroki chimed in. "But she can't sneak in alone. We can try to stealth the mission, but we need a backup plan in case we do have to fight."

Izuku looked out his window, "Which is why we're here." The trio looked out the window to see that they had just parked out front of U.A.

Todoroki was confused. "U.A.? But it's closed down right now? Why are we here?"

Izuku looked back to Shoto while gripping the door handle, "...Plan B." He got out of the car and began walking towards the front gate with Momo and Todoroki in tow. He entered his student I.D. and entered. They followed Izuku to the Support Course wing.

"Midoriya, I don't think this is the time for suit upgrades." Todoroki said.

"Trust me, I-I'll need this one. And I have someone on the inside too." As they approached the Support Studio, they heard banging and clashing and the zapping of welding. Izuku knocked on the door and-

***BOOM***

...Was immediately caught in an explosion coming from the studio.

"Woo! That was a big one this time." The smoke cleared for Momo and Shoto to see Izuku on the ground with hyper yet very tired looking pink-haired girl on top of him. "Oh! Hey Midoriya! When did you get here?"

Shoto looked over to Momo to find she was giving a glare that could burn through something so fast even his father's fire would run in fear.

Momo hated it when she realized she was the jealous type back in I-Island with Melissa. She knew Izuku wouldn't ever do anything. She trusted him completely. It was just an uncontrollable clenching she got in her heart. But, she had to admit that Izuku was handling such a shapely girl on top of him with almost ease.

"W-Wow. You actually remembered m-my name this time Hatsume." Izuku said with a slight blush to his cheeks, completely avoiding looking down at Hatsume's tank top.

"Of course! I need to remember the name of my favorite client!"

"You only have one piece of my gear and I'm already your favorite client?"

"Yep! Besides, how could I forget _these _," Mei said running her hands along his abs through his shirt. He grabbed her hands and lightly pushed her off.

_*AHEM* _Momo loudly cleared her throat.

Mei looked up to the other two in the hall. "...Do I know you two?"

Izuku lightly pushed Mei off, and stood up. "This is my friend Todoroki, and Momo my gi-"

"Girlfriend! I'm his girlfriend. The one who loves him, kisses him, touches him, and the only one who gets to do so." Momo interrupted with the same crazed twitching in her eye from I-Island. "We battled against each other in the cavalry battle."

"Cool! Never heard of ya! Now…" Mei turned back to Izuku. "I'm assuming your here for the Melissa Shield Baby, right?"

"O-Oh! Yeah."

"Well, follow me then."

Momo was confused. So, this girl was running her hands all over Izuku and yet she acted like it was a completely normal and sociable thing to do. She thought she would falter when Momo announced she was Izuku's girlfriend, but Mei did care one bit. As Mei walked into the smoke-filled studio, Momo walked over to Izuku. "Was...Was she_not _flirting with you?"

"Hatsume i-is...an odd character. We met again when I came here to give them the blueprints to the Full Gauntlet. When s-she saw them and who they were made by she immediately took them and began working on them. Apparently she even t-told Power Loader that I'm now her permanent client for all my gear. She may be overbearing at times, but she's a genius. The best inventor in the school, or even the country no doubt."

"...And the muscles?" Todoroki asked.

"...S-She may have also patted my body down when she saw me." Izuku avoided THAT memory by following Hatsume into the studio. She walked into a back room filled with special cases and containers on the walls. Mei entered a code on a keypad on the wall, and a thick silver ejected from the wall. She picked it up and carried it out into the workshop.

"I've been working non-stop on this baby!" The trio could tell too. She had bags under her bloodshot eyes, and there were chocolate wrappers and water bottles everywhere. "Buuuuut there's a slight issue. Melissa Shield was one smart cookie. This is far more complicated than expected, even with the blueprints. So they're not completely done. They're still in prototype phase."

Izuku raised a brow, "Wait a minute. 'They'?

Mei popped open the case. "Yeah that's another reason it's taking so long. I'm making two." She pulled out two wristbands that were nearly identical to the one from the island, except these were unpainted so they were white.

"They can form into the gauntlet, but there are components still missing. I still need more liquid-titanium tri-weave and impact compensation padding. Not to mention the kinetic energy absorption plates. But, right now the could probably handle half of your full power."

Izuku nodded. 50% would have to do.

"I also have tons of other ideas for these babies, so they might not be fully ready for awhile. I'll work again on these tomorrow. I need to quickly get Baby #198 finished." Just as Mei was about to close the case, Izuku stopped her.

"Um, actually... Hatsume... could I please borrow them for the day? L-Like uh...a test drive."

"Hmmm? I don't know. I don't think there are any rules against test drives by students? But I also don't think it's ever been done. Usually the tests are done by the teachers."

Momo interjected. "Don't you have to test the equipment to see if it works with the students quirk? Wouldn't you have to use the student to test it?"

"Wellll I should specify that by when they don't allow student testing, I mean they don't allow student testing on inventions made by me specifically. Too many explosions."

Izuku walked closer to Hatsume. "Please Hatsume. I'll have them back before Power Loader even comes back. I'm sure he's busy with everything going on, so this should be the least of his worries anyway if he did find out. Which he won't. They'll be right back in this case, first thing in the morning."

"...You know what? What the heck! Anything for my favorite client! Just...don't break 'em."

"I won't. I promise. I'll stay below 50% at all times just to make sure. Thank you. Now u-uh...you should get some sleep. Y-You look exhausted."

Mei began to walk off towards another workstation. "Nah, I'm fine. I'll sleep when- *** _Badum_ **_* Zzzzzzzz. _" The inventor collapsed to the floor, snoring loudly. Izuku looked around the room to see multiple small puddles across the room, which he assumed was drool. So she had probably done this multiple times already.

Momo created a blanket and laid it over her. "She's definitely a character, but you're right. She's definitely a genius if she's made all of that." Momo's gestured to a corner full of gadgets.

"Yeah, she's pretty amazing." Izuku pulled out the Full Gauntlet Prototypes and put them on his wrists. "Okay, i-it's almost time for us to meet Kirishima. We should go."

The other two nodded, and they all walked out. Momo whispered to Izuku. "You handled another pretty girl on you fairly well."

"Well, I've already gotten really close to the most beautiful thing alive. So other girls are getting a lot easier to handle."

Momo's heart clenched with flattery. She didn't care if it was a little cheesy. He was perfect. She kissed his cheek and intertwined their hands again.

Todoroki started to feel like the third-wheel.

…

"Hey guys!" Kirishima stood up from his seat at the station as Izuku, Shoto, and Momo approached. They all wore their casual clothing (if you could call Momo's clothes casual). Momo however had chosen to wear black coach boots with smaller heels on them instead of regular heels. She was aware Izuku was a little conscious of their height difference.

Izuku was also wearing a forest green hooded jacket and black jeans (Momo liked them, so it was an immediate pick). She couldn't change his "T-shirt" t-shirt though.

As they became only a few feet from one another, Kirishima spoke again. "Ah, so the star couple was able to find it in their schedule to take a break from lip wrestling to do this."

Both teens blushed a furious red.

"NOT SO FAST!" They all turned to see the whole class, minus Bakugou, Tooru, Kyouka, and Ochako all running towards them. Iida was at the head of the pack.

Izuku looked on in shock, "But...h-how did they know…?"

Iida pulled out his phone. "Kirishima explained it all in the class group chat!"

The trio turned their eyes to Ejirou.

"... I'm not gonna lie, I thought this was a whole class thing."

Momo gaped at him in bewilderment, "Why on Earth would this be a whole class thing!?"

"You know, all of us coming together to save our classmate or something! I thought we were going to do it all together!"

Iida interrupted Kirishima. "We're not going to do anything at all! We're all here to stop you! This is a foolish idea, at best! The pros should handle this!"

Asui stepped forward as well, "He's right you guys.*_ Ribbet* _ "We know your intentions are good, but wouldn't breaking the law make you no better than the villains?"

"There's a big difference between what we're doing and what villains do Tsu." Momo retorted back.

Kaminari shifted on his feet, "Come on guys...it's just not a good idea."

Ojiro spoke up, "Yeah. It's not."

Iida walked up to Izuku, Momo, and Todoroki. He whispered so only they could hear. "Out of everyone...you three. After I get criticism for my actions against Stain, and we all get a special pardon, you still go off and try again. Things are already bad as it is. Don't make it any worse."

Izuku tried to feud back, "Iida, if you would just let u-"

*** _Crack*_**

The punch Iida gave Izuku rang throughout the empty train station. Everyone was suddenly silent. Momo got in between the boys and shoved Iida away with a scowl. She turned back to Izuku, checking him over. He seemed fine, except he was in shock that Iida of all people punched him.

Momo whipped around to face Iida. "What is the matter with you!?"

"With me!? Look at you all. You and your little vigilante act will only cause more trouble. You're going to get hurt more and more. When I saw Midoriya in there...it reminded me of my brother. I can't see another person I care about end up like he did. But none of you seem to care about yourselves or anyone else. Did you not even think about how I felt? Did you not even think to contact me, your close friend, to even talk about this!?"

Momo stomped forward until she was mere inches from Iida's face. "Of course we did! Of course we care about how you feel! But we knew this was how you would react! Well, except for _punching _one of your best friends that you 'care about' so much. What about you? Did _you _ever even think that maybe _you_aren't what solely matters right now!? We have a classmate who's been kidnapped! We have the chance to save him, and we feel the need to take it!"

The whole class began to share their negative opinions on their plan. But before they could continue, Kirishima snapped.

"She's right! I-...We can't just sit here and do nothing! My buddy was being kidnapped, and I could not and did not do a thing about it! If I don't try to save him while I can, I won't feel like a man anymore! I already don't? We know this is a bad idea. But...B-But we can't just do nothing. We can reach him."

Todoroki spoke out as well. "We're going to do our best not to fight. The pros haven't even left the city yet. We'll be ahead of them by nearly half an hour. We're going to get Bakugou, and get out. We have a shot."

"I-I'm sorry...but we're going." All eyes turned to Izuku, who stood back up straight. There train to Yokohama pulled in behind him. "Iida...we care. We really do. But I failed Kacchan already. I was there when he was kidnapped, and I turned away. I did it to save someone else. I don't regret my decision, but I still could have tried. I've been given the chance to save him again. And I need to save everyone I can."

Izuku reached out and grabbed Momo's hand. He slowly began to back his way into the train doors. Todoroki and Kirishima followed their example. The class watched on as they four students breached the point of no return, all of them saddened that they couldn't convince them to stop.

The four found a group of seats and sat down. The doors began to close, but suddenly, Iida slipped through before they fully closed shut. He walked down the aisle and sat down across from their seats. The train left the station, onward to Kamino Ward.

They all sat in silence, waiting for the other to speak first.

Iida broke the silent atmosphere first.

"...I'm so sorry I hit you. Physical violence was not the correct route."

"It's okay. Are you acting as our law regulator?"

"Well, I can't sway you to stop. So, I guess you'll need someone to help watch over you. So...what's the plan?"

**A/N:****I love Mei. Sorry about the wait you guys. Something happened this week that kinda hit me. Got depressed for a couple of days and didn't write. But I'm back to it and ready to start off the Rescue Mission. Sorry again, this is only a set-up chapter and the wait for the next one might be as long as this one. Because it might be LONG. Unless I cut things down that is. This chapter got super corny with some lines, but I needed to write those. They made me feel happy. So I hope you guys like this chapter. Sorry for any spelling mistakes and such. The ones that I missed I'll fix those in post. Laters.**


	32. The Rescue: Part Two

"That's a terrible plan."

The rest of the team groaned at Iida's criticism. Kirishima retorted back at the speedster. "Well, no matter what we say you'll say it's bad!"

"True. But sneaking in is highly improbable. It's a bar! Where exactly do you sneak into a bar from? It's basically one room!"

"...The bathroom?" Everyone looked at Kirishima in confusion. "...Sorry. I really need Bakugou back. With him gone, I've been hanging around Kaminari too much. His stupidity is rubbing off on me."

"Well, what about the vents?" Todoroki asked.

Momo brought her hand to her chin, "It's possible, but it will still just lead into one room. Besides, I doubt we'll fit into the air ducts."

"Wanna bet?"

Momo looked at him with a mix of confusion and surprise, "What!? No!" Todoroki shrugged and went back to looking out the window. Momo had a feeling that he wasn't going to let go of that idea. "Well if it will ease any of your minds, I do have at least one safety precaution."

She created five small trackers and five signal trackers. "All of you, attach this somewhere inside your clothes and take the tracking devices. If we get separated...or worse, then we can find one another."

They all took the trackers and tracking devices, attaching the small chips inside their shirts or jackets. Izuku was glad Momo was so smart, he would have never thought of this. "Have I ever told you how smart you are?"

"Yes, but I'd be happy if you said it even more."

"Okay! Okay!" Kirishima interrupted. "I'd rather save Bakugou without getting diabetes, so save the sweet talking for later."

Momo reached over and took Izuku's hand. "We're about to go on an illegal and highly dangerous mission where we could die. And if not that, then arrested and expelled from school. I think we'll sweet talk as much as we want."

"Alright, alright. Just no kissing." Kirishima said, raising his hands up in defeat.

Todoroki looked over to Kirishima, "Please don't encourage them."

Iida turned in his seat across the aisle to the group. "Speaking of which, now that I have your full attention, I think it's time for me to fully go into my prepared lecture for class couples and PDA." The Class President pulled out a pamphlet that was titled "Tenya's Tips for Teenage Hormones."

The couple both immediately tried to stop this. "Oh no that's not necessary Iida."

"But it's entirely necessary. Two hormonal teenagers starting off a relationship can be disastrous. Especially when Midoriya keeps staring at Yaoyorozu's legs when she wears her school uniform skirt."

"Wh-What!? I-I-I don-"

"Oh yes you do! I for one am ashamed and disappointed in your for this behavior Midoriya. I'm not even going to mention the other places you tend to look at! My glasses aren't for show! I see everything!"

Izuku buried his head into his arms in embarrassment, and Momo stared into space blushing.

"Now, let us start us off with the basics. When a man and a woman love each other very much, they-"

"UUAAAH!" A woman trying to walk the aisle between their seats suddenly tripped. Before anyone could get up to catch her, and before she hit the floor, black tendrils wrapped around her torso and lifted her back up to her feet.

Everyone looked over to see Izuku with his arm out, the black whips coming directly from his forearm. "A-Are you okay ma'am?"

"Oh! Y-Yes. Thank you so much." Izuku withdrew his whips and the woman continued to her seat. Izuku awkwardly sunk back into his seat as everyone (minus Momo) stared at him in shock.

"I-I'm assuming you're all wondering what that was?"

Momo took his hand to comfort him from all the staring. "I've been wanting to ask about it, but I assumed that being bombarded with questions about that night so soon would make you uncomfortable."

Izuku smiled and was grateful for Momo's caring nature. "Th-Thanks. Uh, w-well long story short I-I have two quirks now."

Everyone was at a loss for words. A second quirk just showing up out of nowhere was entirely unheard of. "I-...Well how did that happen?" Iida asked, baffled.

"It's how I-I saved Momo from th-the villains at camp. When they had her...s-something in me just k-kinda snapped. I-I...I couldn't let them take her. So, all of a s-sudden I had this." Izuku lifted his arm up and let the black tendrils dance around his fingers. "They kinda sting, but as long as it's nothing too heavy I can use them okay. A-At least th-that's what I assume that is."

Kirishima was at a loss for words. He smiled and scoffed as he sunk down further in his seat. "Wow, and here I was thinking that Todoroki was the most overpowered person in class. Two quirks? C'mon, that's manly as hell."

Todoroki looked over, "I have two quirks."

"Yeah, but achieving one so late and while saving your loved one. Super. Manly."

Momo asked, "Did you ask the doctors about it?"

Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "W-Well, no. I just figured I'd change m-my quirk registration forms and be done with it."

"But, two quirks? At this age no less. That's impossible. It's never happened before," Iida said.

Todoroki responded, "Well, it's honestly not totally impossible. They say quirks and their evolution and behavior are generational. We're in the new generation, so maybe Midoriya's patient zero. Or at least one of them."

Momo had gotten to know Izuku very well since the Sports Festival. As expected, being his girlfriend and all. Which of course also meant knowing when Izuku was lying or not. Momo could tell he wasn't exactly lying per say. But, he was definitely holding something back. While others may be willing to accept a random second quirk, she definitely wasn't.

_*Attention all passengers. We will be arriving in Yokohama in 5 minutes.*_

They all heard this, and Iida looked to everyone. "Are we absolutely certain we want to do this? We can easily get back on another train to go home?"

Kirishima sat up straight. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't certain."

Todoroki answered, "Me too."

Izuku and Momo looked at one another. Izuku knew that deep down Momo would much rather keep him safe and away from all of this than try and save someone who hates them. And, someone who she hates right back. He also didn't doubt that she truly did want to save Bakugou. She was a hero after all. But, she was most likely here for Izuku. He didn't want her in danger either, and he knew Bakugou wouldn't like it if they saved him. But...he just had to try.

Sometimes, he kind of hated his stubborn heroic heart.

Izuku nodded, "There's no turning back."

…

"Here's the shopping district" Momo observed. "That means the bar should be a few blocks down from here."

The sun was setting and the area was still full of people. Todoroki checked the time on his phone. "It's getting dark soon. That will probably help if we don't want to be noticed."

Kirishima suddenly perked up, "Yeah! And I even bought this!" He pulled out night-vision goggles from his pocket. "They might have been expensive, but hopefully it'll be worth it."

Momo and Izuku both sweatdropped at one another knowing that he sort of wasted his money. Momo could create those anytime she wanted. But, he seemed happy so…

Momo put a finger to her lips, signalling to keep quiet. They should keep team morale up. The Creation Quirk user looked past Izuku, and a light bulb sparked to life in her head.

"I believe I just found out how to not be recognized." The boys all followed her line of sight to see a clothing store full of on-sale items. "I'd say disguises will conceal our identity fairly well."

"Wonderful idea Yaoyorozu! We'll especially be recognized as we all placed highly in the Sports Festival. Disguises will be perfect!"

"Well then let's go. I'll pay for everything."

…

*_ Knock Knock Knock*_

The window between the back compartment and the front cab of the police van slid open. Tsukauchi was at the driver's seat, and All Might was in the back. They were on their way to Yokohama, and both decided to use the cover of All Might being too big to fit with everyone else, so they have their own van to drive.

All Might was in his regular state, swimming in his baggy costume in the back. Tsukauchi spoke to Toshinori through the window. "Why do I get the feeling you've been staring at your phone for the last half hour of this drive?"

Toshinori sighed, "Because I have."

"You gotta say something to her."

"I know. But, what I want to say will be a lot to take in." Toshinori said staring at Inko's contact number.

Tsukauchi couldn't exactly say it wouldn't be that bad. He really did have multiple truckloads of things to tell the woman. He needed something to ease his mind. "Before the interrogation, I went in and asked Spinner what you asked me to."

"...And?"

"When I asked if the name 'Inko' was mentioned or part of any plan he said he'd never heard the name before. It seems she's safe for now. You and Midoriya can rest easy with that."

"...Yeah, good. Thanks." Toshinori didn't believe that for one second. It wasn't that he thought Spinner lied, Toshinori just knew she wasn't safe. His underlings may not know, but All For One has to know. He somehow always knew everything. He did tend to keep information to himself until he felt like revealing it. He needed to end this before All For One decided to tell anyone.

"...Toshinori?"

"Yeah?"

"...Not to sound like a downer, but this time around you have even more to lose. You've clearly been preparing yourself for this for a long time, but now you have even more factors to add in. So... you're not planning on just putting him behind bars, are you?"

Toshinori clenched his fist, "I'll do whatever it takes to keep my family, my students, and this world safe. He's taken so much, from so many people. He's manipulated, murdered, and tortured. I can't let it go on. My teacher started a job years ago, and I intend to finish it."

"It's not that I'm against someone like that being gone for good, but you've kept a clean record for years. You've always stood and preached the philosophy that killing isn't ever necessary."

"It is this time."

"Maybe, but will the public know that. How will they feel when all of a sudden their Symbol of Peace takes someone down without a thought or care in the world?"

Toshinori leaned back against the interior wall, "Once they see the terror he can bring, they'll understand."

"Sometimes it's not that easy. But, I guess one death won't make anyone like Endeavor more than you" Tsukauchi chuckled. "...So are you gonna call her?"

"Just give me some time."

Tsukauchi chuckled again. Sometimes Toshinori was just as much as a nervous wreck as his successor.

…

"YO! FOOL! WHATCHU LOOKIN' AT!"

"Pffffft Hahahahaha!" Izuku immediately slumped his shoulders as his girlfriend laughed at him and his outfit. He thought this was what tough guys looked like. But, if getting laughed at was what it took to hear his Momo's snort which caused him to fall in love all over again, then it was definitely worth it.

"Hahahah*_ snort*hahaha- _you look-hahahahaha- absolutely * _snort* _ridiculous." She laughed her way over to him, somewhat composed herself, and wrapped her arms around him. "Mhmhmhm * _Ahem* _... You're keeping the outfit. You know that right?"

"...Yeah." Izuku said with his head down blushing.

"And the fake goatee."

"Yeah."

"Because if I ever have a really bad day, I'm going to need you to put that on."

"I know."

"Good. Now I'll be right back." Momo grabbed a dress off of a nearby clothing rack, and went into the changing room. Izuku looked over to his friends and he had to admit, they all looked pretty stupid. Todoroki's wig didn't even fit. Kirishima had ears that made him look like Miruko. And Iida looked like if a wannabe Italian mobster joined an acapella group.

"Alright, I'm ready." Izuku turned around at the sound of Momo coming out of the changing room, and everything went black except for her. She was dressed in a silk, maroon wrap dress with bows tied on her back and the back of her neck. She wore dark brown boots,a golden bracelet, and white sunglasses.

What really caught Izuku off guard was her hair. She must've created a curling iron while in there because now her hair flowed in beautiful waves into it's now flowing and twisting ponytail, and her usual front bang was split into two. It was definitely a different look, but damn she pulled it off with flying colors.

"And _you're _keeping that outfit." Izuku didn't mean to say that out loud. Momo's eyes widened, and then she blushed and smiled.

"Well, then consider it a new favorite of mine. Now come over here." She took Izuku's hand and brought him over to a nearby full-length mirror. She pulled a make-up bag out of her purse. "If we really want to not be recognized, then we should go all out."

Momo pulled out some kind of grainy cream that matched Izuku's skin color. She dabbed some onto her fingers, and began to smear it on his cheeks. "As much as I love your freckles, they're one of your most recognizable features on you. If you're seen with them, then it's immediately over for you. There! All done."

Izuku looked into the mirror to see his freckles had completely vanished under the make-up. "It's waterproof, so even if you sweat it should be fine."

As Izuku looked in the mirror, he couldn't help but get that same disappointing feeling in his chest. He already thought he was plain at best, bordering on just unattractive. His freckles were one of the only things that made him stand out, even if barely. Without them he thought he just looked even worse.

Suddenly, Momo stood behind him and put her arms around his waist. "I prefer the freckles much more, but this is still very handsome," she said, kissing his cheek. Izuku smiled into the mirror.

_'You know, if someone like her likes me... something about my looks has got to be right.' _

"Alright you two, put it back in your pants. We should go. Our lead on the police isn't that much by now." Kirishima said from behind them.

Ignoring the first comment, the couple agreed and paid for their clothes. Now they were back on the streets, taking on their new identities. Much to Momo's amusement, Izuku jut his jaw out, put his hands in his pockets, slouched his back, and took big wide steps as he walked.

"OI! YOU ALL TALKIN' TO ME!? GET LOST!" Kirishima face palmed and Momo was doing her absolute best not to laugh, which wasn't working in the slightest. Iida was stiff as a board, pointing at every attractive woman he could find.

"Look! Over there! That woman has a huge rack! Rack with three "C's"!"

Kirishima scrunched his face up in confusion, "But it's- it's supposed to be thic-...close enough." The teens continued their way down the streets until they passed less and less people. Soon the streets were essentially abandoned. Dark alleyways, broken street lamps, cracked sidewalks, abandoned buildings…They were beginning to wonder how it took so long for the league to be found if they lived in such an obviously shady place.

Momo pointed across the street, "There!" A rundown building with a broken bar sign stood across from them. It was the only bar they had seen since they left the shopping district. It had to be it. From the looks of it, there were no cameras or guards anywhere "Come on."

The Heroes-in-training made their way across the street, looking in every direction to make sure they weren't seen. Kirishima looked around into the side alley. "There's a side entrance over here." Ejirou immediately took off towards the door.

"Kirishima, wait." Momo whispered to him. "Let me check it out first. Izuku grab this." She moved her ponytail away from her back as it glowed blue. Izuku put his hands out as sonar equipment fell into his hands. Momo turned around and grabbed it. She put the headphones on her head, and lifted up the sound amplifier gun.

Momo snuck her way over to the door. She moved under all windows and avoided anything that could possibly make a sound. Izuku once again was amazed at her improvement since her internship. Even with heels on her boots, her footsteps didn't make a single sound. Now that he thought about it, he didn't think _any _of her footsteps made noise anymore. She must've been while walking normally since her internship.

She crouched down next to the door, and slowly pressed the gun into the door, and then the wall. She repeated this process on multiple points. Momo motioned for everyone to come to her, and spoke in a low voice. "The first floor is empty. Izuku, hold me."

"W-W-What!?"

"Not like that. Pick me up and jump to the roof of the next door building."

"O-Oh." Izuku wrapped his arms around her waist, and jumped up onto the next door building. He let her down and ask, "Why don't I just jump onto the bar roof?"

"Izuku, I love you, but you're not exactly quiet." Momo then ran towards the edge of the building (giving Izuku a heart attack) and leaped across the gap between the buildings, and landed without making a noise. She pressed the amplifier onto the roof, and listened in.

…

"I just don't get why you won't join us." Shigaraki stood from his bar seat, and slowly moved towards Bakugou's chair. "You hate so many people. You hate so many of your own class. You act like you care for no one. I know you hate Midoriya, just like me. We could offer you so much here. You could do anything you wanted. So why are you so insistent on being a hero?"

"God-damn your so fucking annoying. You really just don't get it."

"Then how about you enlighten me?"

"I would, but that would mean giving you fuckers something you want."

…

Momo sighed as she lifted the amplifier off the roof, _'Yep. He's definitely in there.' _She leaped back across towards Izuku, only for him to grab her before she could land and swing her 180 degrees from the edge. He took five wide steps back from the ledge as he hugged her tighter.

"Woah, Izuku? What's the matter?"

"P-Please don't do th-that again." He mumbled into her.

"Izuku what's wrong?"

He answered, "S-Sorry. I-I...I-I'm just not a huge fan of ledges. Come on." Before Momo could ask what that meant, he jumped back down to his friends and set her down. "He's up on the second floor. Todoroki, can you freeze the door hinges?"

"Yeah, just give me a second." The door opened from the inside, so Shoto placed his hands on the edge of the door. Once the edge was thoroughly frozen, Kirishima and Iida both carefully pushed against the door until it was free from it's attachments. The two carefully lowered it to the ground and observed the room.

It was completely empty and full of cobwebs. Windows and doors were all boarded up. A couch, and a few discarded seats were scattered everywhere. A staircase in the back of the room led to a door with light peeking out from underneath. Faint and muffled voices could be heard from the door.

Kirishima turned to Izuku and Momo. "Alright, you two started this operation and you both have the most experience together. You take the lead. How do we handle this?"

Izuku and Momo were a little shocked at first, but decided that they need to take this in stride. There was no room for mistakes here. Izuku and Momo started to analyze the situation.

Izuku started, "Well they no longer have Spinner so we need to count how many more people are in the room so that means Shigaraki, Toga, Compress, the fire guy, that one guy/girl, the measuring tape guy and Kurogiri-

"He's most likely the most dangerous with his portals so he should be taken out first and we should also assign certain people to others but Todoroki should finish the job by freezing everyone and Kirishima should go for Bakugou because if anyone else did he might resist-

"But it might be a problem if we come from one place so we need more than one entry point and then we-

Everyone else watched in awe as the two muttered up a hurricane. They had seen Izuku do this, but to see Momo do it at the same time was kinda scary. "Well, they're definitely made for one another." Kirishima said, gawking at the two.

"We've got it," The two said simultaneously.

Momo started their explanation. "The most important person to take out first is Kurogiri. His portals are too unpredictable, and they can escape at any time. We need to take him out first. For a quick take down, we need you Todoroki."

Izuku continued, "It's been seen that Kurogiri has a physical form, it's just hard to see. With your ice, we don't need to aim carefully. We can immediately cover him. Everyone else will be a problem, so we need to keep the element of surprise. We need a quick, fast strike."

"We also can't all be together. One decent strike would take us all out. Besides, two entries will cause distractions and even more confusion. We were thinking one direct approach from the door, and the other approach from somewhere else." Momo explained.

Izuku looked up to the top of the building. "The roof. An attack from the front, and an attack from above."

Momo interjected, "Izuku and I will take the roof. He can easily bust through. Kirishima, you can act as a battering ram and Iida has the speed to burst through the door with ease. That just leaves Todoroki. Where do you think he shou-..." Momo looked around to see the Icy-Hot quirk user gone. "Bu- Where did he go?"

Kirishima pointed over his shoulder to an air duct with the cover torn off. "Yeah, he was serious about that bet."

Momo rubbed her temples, "I guess we'll attack on his cue then. Get into position." Izuku picked her up and leapt back up onto the top of the building. They carefully made their way to the center of the building roof. Momo created a Fushigiri replica, and Izuku activated his Prototype Full Gauntlet 's.

He felt the familiar sensation of the gauntlets wrapping around his arms. His arms up to his elbows were covered in an exact recreation of the original version, except this time they were white. _'Hatsume really is something else. Villains are gonna be terrified if Melissa and her ever meet and go into business together.'_

Back down inside the first floor, Kirishima activated his quirk as Iida picked him up and held him like a battering ram. Now, all they had to do was wait for Todoroki.

…

"Jump into fucking traffic!"

Dabi raised his brows, "Wow. You really like suicide stuff don't ya?"

"Fuck off!"

"Ugh. Can't we just shut him up? His yelling isn't cute at all" Toga groaned.

Shigaraki grunted, "Everyone shut up. I can't think. What exactly can we do to convince you that joining us would be the best decision you could make?" He asked, turning in his chair back to Bakugou.

"You wanna know? Well here. I'll join you idiots if you turn your heads 180 degrees. You'll know you did it when you see nothing but black."

Everyone in the bar rolled their eyes and groaned. Magne began to fan herself. "Speaking of degrees, is it getting hot in here?"

Twice chimed in, "Yes! I'm dying of heat stroke over here! Sorry! It's just you!

Kurogiri agreed from behind the bar "The thermostat is down low. Perhaps something has clogged the air conditioning. Maybe some rodent got stuck."

_*THUMP* *THUMP *THUMP*_

Everyone slowly looked up towards the ventilation ducts to see dents start to form outward from the inside and slowly make its way closer to them.

Dabi's eyes opened wide. "Then that's one big fucking rat."

_*CRASH*_

The ducts collapsed and fell to the floor, Todoroki falling with them crashing into chairs and a table. Shoto slowly got up out of the mess and awkwardly stared at the villains, and they awkwardly stared right back. Compress turned to his allies, "We're gonna need a bigger mouse trap."

_*SHINNK*_

Suddenly ice crashed straight through the bar counter and slammed Kurogiri to the wall, smashing his body into the all of the shelves and bottles and sticking him their. "THAT'S THE CUE! THAT'S THE CUE!"

…

Momo and Izuku looked at each other in confusion and exasperation. "Oh boy," they said together. Izuku brought his fist up and slammed down on the roof.

…

Kirishima and Iida heard Todoroki's yelling and sighed. This was already off to a terrible start.

…

_* _**_CRRRRSSSHHH_ **_*_

Tenya burst through the door using his Recipro Burst, and Ejirou as the battering ram. Iida threw Kirishima like a javelin directly into Dabi. The Hardening Quirk Hero headbutt the villain at full force, immediately knocking him out cold. Tenya rushed forward and jumped up to Kurogiri against the wall. He swung his leg around and knocked the bartender out. He then pushed himself of the wall and right into Twice. Using his engines, be sent him across the room and into the wall.

**_*BAM*_**

Izuku and Momo crashed through the ceiling with the Quirk Inheritor landing directly on top of Mr. Compress and Momo on top of a bar table. Izuku jumped off of Compress. Tenya held the magician down. Izuku leapt back and slammed his fist directly into Magne. She might've been tough, but a 50% hit from Izuku was just too much. She was out cold in an instant.

Himiko immediately jumped up from her booth seat in delight. "Izuku! You came all this way just for me! Oh I love you too!"

_*SHINK*_

Toga pulled her knife and deflected Momo's sword, but then she was kicked in the stomach by the rich girl. When Toga hit the wall, Momo threw her sword at the killer and stuck the blade through her cardigan and into the wall essentially pinning the blonde. Momo leapt forward to Himiko and rocketed her foot directly into the blonde's head, knocking her out.

Momo pulled her sword out of the wall and Toga slumped to the ground. "He's taken."

Todoroki froze up everyone who was unconscious, and then they all turned directly to Shigaraki who was still in shock in his bar stool. Kirishima ran over to Bakugou's chair and started busting off the chains.

"The fuck are you doin' here!?"

Kirishima broke off the final restraint, and looked Bakugou directly in the eyes. "Bakugou, you're my bro, but just shut up and be grateful for once." The blonde scoffed and looked over to goofy outfits.

"No...no it's not game over...not yet."

Izuku stood at the front of the group, "It's over. The police and heroes will be here soon."

That didn't matter to Tomura. He still had one last player who had to join. "No! No it's not! I-I-...I-...Master...help me."

Bakugou scoffed, "Master? I thought this fuck-face was the leader." While everyone else was just as confused as Bakugou, Izuku looked like he was going to throw up.

"W-We need to get out of here."

Kirishima turned to Izuku, "Hm? What are you talking about?"

Shigaraki started to throw a fit, "MASTER! HELP ME!"

The lights started to flicker. The television suddenly turned on, but it was nothing but static. Izuku grabbed Momo's hand and tried to leave. "GUYS WE HAVE TO RUN!"

Suddenly Izuku stopped dead in his tracks. His fell to his knees clutching his stomach. Momo got down with him. "Izuku! Izuku what's wrong!?"

"Bakugou!" Momo turned around at Kirishima's shout. Bakugou was in the same position as Izuku.

_"Shigaraki, don't fret. For I am here."_

_"Pluah _" Izuku and Bakugou suddenly began to vomit black sludge. The same went for Shigaraki and the rest of the downed villains. It began to engulf their bodies, taking them to the unknown. Momo tried to pull Izuku out, but it just continued to swallow him up.

"Izuku! IZUKU!" But he was gone. They all were were except for Momo, Kirishima, Iida, and Todoroki. "Wh-... What just happened?"

…

Izuku landed on a cold tile floor, gasping for air. He heard others fall against the ground near him. He looked up to see hardly anything. All of the lights were out. The only visibility came from television screens and green glowing tubes spread throughout the large room. Bakugou landed a few feet from him, and Shigaraki and all the unconscious villains weren't too far either.

Tomura stood from his spot and walked over to a hill of wires and tubes. Shadow engulfed it, but Izuku could see someone sitting in a large chair with tubes of glowing liquids running to it. "Master, I'm so sorry. I failed."

"Failed? Oh Young Tomura, far from it. You have no idea just how successful you were."

Izuku wanted to move, but he couldn't. The voice froze him to the spot.

"W-...What?"

"Tomura, you've brought me someone far more important than Bakugou. In fact, our conversation is long overdue. But, that conversation is a private one. So, please leave is to ourselves for now."

"But Master-"

"Now, Tomura." From the shadows, red and black tendrils came out and injected themselves inside all of the unconscious villains. It caused Kurogiri's body to force open a portal, and they all were dragged through. "That leads into the next room over. Go ahead. We'll be just fine."

Shigaraki reluctantly walked through the portal, following his comrades. The man in the shadows stood from his seat. Bakugou, who was trying to stand up, was suddenly engulfed in a thin white veil. He began struggling against the covering.

"Don't worry, it's just a restraint. He's not in any pain. I just wanted some more privacy. With that veil, he can't move or hear us anymore. Now, onto business." The man began to slowly take steps down to the ground from his chair. So, Izuku Midoriya, it's an honor to meet you. It's not every day one meets the new successor of One For All."

Izuku still couldn't move. The man continued to walk towards him. The shadows crept away from his body as he grew closer. "I heard about what happened to Muscular and Wolfram. You're quite the impressive young man. Oh! Where are my manners?"

He stepped directly in front of Izuku. He bent down and the shadows fully gave way from his body. The tubes from his chair were still attached to his body, following him wherever he went. Izuku saw the malformed and scarred face of the man he already knew the name of.

"Greetings. You likely already know this, but my name is All For One."


	33. The Rescue: Part Three

"You're scared. There's no need to be. Well, at least not yet." All For One circled around a fear-paralyzed Izuku as he towered over him. "You're an intelligent boy, so I see no point in trying to trick you or lie. I won't say you're guaranteed to leave here alive, but you are safe for the time being. And if things go well, you'll be alive and well for quite some time. Let's start with questions."

Izuku didn't say a single word. He just stood there, staring at the floor. All For One realized that he wasn't going to get anywhere with this.

"Hm? Nothing? Alright, I'll help. The first question running through your head, is 'how am I going to escape?' The answer is, you won't. The next is, 'Why did I only choose you and Bakugou?' That answer is that taking all of your little team would be troublesome while in my condition and with all my medical supplies around. As to why Bakugou is here, we'll get to that in a minute" All For One chuckled.

All For One made it back to Izuku's front. "And finally, you're asking 'How are your loved ones going to react to your death?'. The answer, is that all depends on how this little talk goes. There are multiple more questions than that, but those are the most important. Is any of that accurate?"

Izuku still stood in silence.

"Good. Now since that is out of the way, we can get down to business. The reason you are not dead yet, is because I'm going to succeed where Young Tomura didn't. And then, you will do the same." He watched Izuku's face flinch at that, likely out of confusion. '_Good. A reaction means he's listening.'_

"What I mean by that, is that I'm going to recruit a new member to the League of Villains. A new leader. I would very much like that leader to be you." If Izuku was confused before, he was entirely lost now. "Now, don't get me wrong. I do care for Tomura. He was the best choice to be my successor. It would be ever so poetic, even if you don't know why" the villain chuckled.

He walked back over to his medical chair and sat down. He lifted his hand, and another chair flew in from the shadows right behind Izuku. "Please, take a seat. I'd like to explain myself, and I wouldn't want you to grow uncomfortable." Izuku continued to just stand there. All For One leaned forward, "Sit down."

Izuku did as he was told.

"Thank you." All For One fell back into his seat. "You were quirkless, correct? You show no signs of any other quirk besides One For All, so I believe I am right in my assumption. Quite the setback in this society. Most people think the quirkless are defective, useless, problems, mistakes, etc. People like him," All For One said, gesturing to Bakugou on the ground. "You're scars are caused by them. And no, I don't mean those scars caused by your fool of a teacher/my nemesis. We'll get to those later. What I'm talking about is your real scars. The ones you hide. The ones that have faded from your body after the years. The ones permanently burned into your mind no thanks to the likes of him and all others born with quirks," he said, once again gesturing to Bakugou on the ground.

"How much pain have you had to endure throughout your life? Physically, mentally, emotionally. The source all runs right back to this society. The ones who have hunted you down, the ones who hate you without ever even speaking to you, and of course, the ones who blatantly ignore you. The ones that don't want to even acknowledge that you exist. They don't even want to please the thought of the quirkless, the _weak,_ the _powerless._ You hate them. I can see it. I can perfectly view the fire in your eyes whenever you think about it all. When you realize that nothing has changed since you obtained One For All. You only found friends, happiness, and compassion when you received a quirk. You think that if you were still quirkless, all the friends you have now would just throw you to the wayside. Which is most likely true."

Izuku knew he wasn't wrong. He had thought about, a lot.

All For One leaned forward again, "The so called 'heroes' you love so much, were more than willing to treat you like _garbage, _and yet they praised those who hurt you. Everyone despises the powerless. But, now you have power. It's what you always dreamed of. You now have the ability to make all those who wronged you pay, as wide of a margin as that may be. But, now you sully it by trying to be a hero. With the strength you have now, you could change the world. And with my quirk, you could be a god amongst men. Untouchable by all. All of the scum who has driven you to the edge of existence, can finally suffer and repent for their actions. You have a true purpose. A _right and just reason _to wipe this society clean, and make it right. While Tomura has been reinvigorated lately, it's not enough. He's still acts like a child. I've spent years and years trying to mold him into the perfect successor. He's failed again and again, and I've given second chance again and again. And yet, here you are. So much younger, and already a natural born leader, an inspiration, a fighter, the will and tenacity to be larger than life. That is what I need. Only someone like that is worthy enough to be my successor. Only someone like that is worthy enough to take my quirk."

Izuku's head shot up to look at All For One. _'H-...His quirk?...All For One?'_

"Hmhmhm, now I have your full attention. You really have been listening. So, you're interested in what I have to say. You want to hear me out... because you know I'm not wrong."

Izuku didn't want to dignify it, but All For One of course already knew he was right.

"I've seen it, at the Sports Festival. You have so much bottled up anger and hatred inside you. You have so many things you despise, but you don't have a way to show it. You feel like you shouldn't. And then, suddenly you explode. I can see that killers intent inside you. Every force, kick, punch, and insult thrown your way left an echo. And when you're pushed over the edge, you take everything ever laid down upon you reverb it back thousands of times stronger. Like what you did to this young man's hands," All For one got back up, and walked over to Bakugou. "You wanted him dead at that moment. His hands were only the start. You even marked him with a scar like your own. The perfect humiliation."

"No." All For One turned back to Izuku. For the first time since he arrived, he spoke. "No. I'm not a villain. I never will be."

"Really? Is that so? So, you disagree with everything I just said?"

"Y-... Yes."

"Hmhmhm. You know what my quirk is, and yet you think I don't have one that can tell if you're lying or not. How little my enemy has taught you. Which is of course how you got your scars." All For One began circling Izuku once more at a slow pace. "Tell me, just how much has All Might taught you? In fact, I'll make it easy for you. Give me a simple yes or no. Did All Might teach you how to control your power at the Sports Festival?"

"..."

"Answer me."

"...N-No."

"Did he teach you anything to help you fight The Hero Killer?"

"...No."

"Did he teach you absolutely anything at all to help you control this power of yours?"

"Yes! He-"

"Anything that wasn't some vague guess or cryptic message because he didn't even know himself?"

"..."

All For One sighed, "Of course. He's completely left you in the dirt to fend for yourself. Just like the rest of the world. He has no idea how to guide you, and he has done nothing to improve his teachings. He doesn't care. He doesn't want to teach you. It seems all he was around to do was lay with your mother."

Izuku clenched his fists. "Shut up."

"Perhaps he only gave you this power out of pity. Or perhaps he wanted to get rid of the power so all of his problems could be pushed into someone else."

"Sh-Shut up."

All For One smiled. He could hear the wavering in the boy's voice. Izuku didn't have to believe him just yet. For now, all the villain had to do was plant seeds of doubt that over the course of the night would blossom into a California Redwood. A boy with severe self-esteem issues and heavy depression...far too easy to manipulate. At least, he should be. Sadly, Izuku followed All Might's heroic sermons. It was the shell that needed to be cracked and opened before All For One could poke and prod as much as he wants. However, there were some positives. This boy was an open book. The moment he realized he used to be quirkless, barely any research was needed after that. Almost everything could easily be interpreted after that. Tomura would have been such a satisfying story to see play out. Poetic justice against All Might. The grandchild of his teacher as the next wielder of All For One would be simply splendid..

But, Izuku was an opportunity he just couldn't pass up. Turning not only the successor All Might personally chose, but the boy that Toshinori considers as his own son evil would be...perfect. Even greater than All For One could ever have hoped for with Shigaraki. All Might would crumble before his very eyes at the sight of a turned Izuku. The fact that Izuku truly was the most capable of being his successor was just an added bonus.

"Should I even mention the fact that All Might used to be quirkless, and yet rejected you when you first met him."

"H-How do you know that!?"

All For One chuckled, "I didn't. You just told me. I know All Might better than he thinks. He might preach to the masses that 'Anyone can be a hero', but he fell under the same umbrella as everyone else. What they were really saying was 'Anyone can be a hero, as long as you have power'. He grew so accustomed to his power he forgot he was ever quirkless. To him, you were just another useless little boy. Tell me without a shadow of a doubt in your heart, that when he rejected you the first time he didn't destroy you. After everything you went through, can you tell me that All Might wasn't your final nail in the coffin? And yes...I do mean that literally."

"..."

"Your soul is a sculpture of glass, sloppily taped back together over and over again by your own strength over the years. These so called heroes and people smash it to bits over and over again. You shouldn't have to hide your hatred anymore. Let it finally be free. And the first step, is an offer you can't refuse."

All For One lifted his hand, and Bakugou's veil lifted him off the ground. He was still struggling inside of it, until All For One tightened the veil to make him hold still. Bakugou's head became uncovered from the veil. "What the fuck have you been talking about this whole time!? Get me out of-mmph!"

All For One brought his finger up to Katsuki's throat, and it glowed. Suddenly, Bakugou wasn't able to speak. His vocal chords were unmoving. "That's quite enough of that. Now, the first step for you to achieve greatness is right in front of you…"

"Kill him."

…

"Yaoyorozu wait!"

She heard Iida's calls for her as she ran through the streets, but she didn't stop. The moment Izuku left her sight, she activated his tracker and took off. She needed to get to him fast, before anything bad happened to him with the rest of the team chasing after her.

...It was just a shame that Iida's quirk made him far faster than her.

_*WHOOSH*_

Tenya ran past her and stopped in front of her with his arms spread out. "Yaoyorozu! You have to sto-"

...only for Momo to flip right over him and continue to run.

_'Oh right...Ninja.' _Tenya turned around towards the fleeting girl. "Yaoyorozu! If we go after Midoriya and Bakugou without any kind of plan, then we could get them killed!" Momo slowed to a stop, but she didn't turn around. "We don't even know where he is yet. Wherever he is, I highly doubt we can pull off what we did back at the bar."

Momo turned around to Tenya, "I know where he is. Spinner mentioned one other location they owned. It was an abandoned warehouse not too far from here. He said that's where they keep the Nomu. They're still in Kamino Ward."

"But we still can't just bust in," Todoroki said. "Whoever teleported them there, Shigaraki called 'master'. So they must be powerful. This time around, actually can't afford to fight head on. At least not until we know what their quirk is."

Kirishima stepped up, "Yaoyorozu you know that I want nothing more than to Rambo-Style barge in their and save them, but they're right. You definitely know it with how smart you are."

Momo sighed, "I know...I know. We think of plans as we go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get a layout of the situation. And the sooner we do that, the sooner we can get them out of there and go home."

"Alright! Now let's-...uh, guys? We should hurry." Kirishima added.

Iida looked confused, "Well of course we're hurrying. Why-oh." They all watched as SWAT truck after SWAT truck drove past them towards the bar. "If their on their way to the bar, then the Warehouse Team won't be far behind. Let's go!"

…

"W-W-...What?"

"It's simple. Kill him." Izuku could see the brief glimpse of fear pass through Katsuki's eyes when he said it. "Don't tell me the thought hasn't passed through your mind at least a few times. You're human. The brain is the mastermind behind all of our thoughts, even the rogue thoughts we don't mean. No matter how good and pure you think you are, the dark side of the brain will forever take part of the thought process. You have thought about it, haven't you?"

"No! Of course I haven't!"

"Maybe not kill him, but you _have _thought about what would life be like he was suddenly, magically whisked away, right? You've imagined how happy life would have been if he had never walked through your school doors again? At least once or twice."

Izuku's silence was all be needed.

"There's no need to feel ashamed. We all do it with someone, but yours is justified. How much has this young man done to you? How much has be destroyed you? From your physical body, to your possessions, to your stability of mind and soul. How much of it has he taken from you? All because you were quirkless. And now look at you. You could break him in half like a toothpick. You could blow him away into nothing but viscera on the wall. That would be poetry at it's finest. Just imagine the freedom and catharsis you can finally feel after it's done. He's shackled your mind into thinking it's nothing. He doesn't have to be the only one either. Once we're done here, we can destroy all like him. All who joined him. Don't you deserve a reward for all the struggle and pain you've had to endure?"

All For One could see Izuku still hadn't accepted the idea, but he technically hadn't rejected it either. At least not vocally. He knew Izuku would be one of his toughest challenges yet. Anyone who was chosen as the next wielder of One For All would be difficult. But, Izuku was chosen by All Might, the most obnoxiously heroic and pure hero there ever was. So, Izuku was bound to be similar. All For One needed to avoid phrases like "destroy" or "erase society", and replace them with "fix". He needed to emphasize the quirkless and his past, and magnify the actions of Bakugou. It was time for the big guns.

"Tell me...has he ever told you to end your life?"

Another flinch. All For One looked over to Bakugou to see the blonde started to sweat.

"Ah, I see. I figured as much. If he is the main culprit of your past tortures and with how much he spout about it to the other members, I could only assume that he would say the same to you. How despicable." Bakugou kept trying to yell, but nothing came out. "Tsk tsk tsk. I'm so sorry about him. This is probably making you uncomfortable saying this in front of him. Here."

All For One brought the veil back over Bakugou's head, cutting off sound for the explosive teen. "Much better. Now forgive me if this crosses any boundaries, but...did you ever considered it?"

Another flinch, and he averted his emerald eyes to the ground.

All For One sighed. "Terrible. Just terrible. There is no reason to feel weak about it. Honestly, with your life it's a miracle you're even here right now. Especially with quirkless suicide rates being nearly three times the size of everyone else. No quirk. No father. No friends. No one believed in you. No future, and no one cared. Especially not Mr. Bakugou here. All he did was push you down even further and further into the floor, making you taste the mud, dirt, and blood this planet has offered you in place of a happy life. Death might be too weak of a punishment." He leaned down to be face to face with Izuku. "But, I care. Everyone who is a part of this league has been wronged, and I have taken them in and supplied them with a home. I'm here to help and guide them to fix all their problems. I only wish to do the same for you."

He stood up straight and turned back to Bakugou, "And he is your first problem. Exactly what reasons do you have that would warrant a want to keep him alive? Why should we be forced to live in a world where the lucky and powerful can do whatever they want and get away with it, and the weak are punished for doing nothing? Why does he deserve to live, and yet he thinks you don't? I fear I might be the only one left who was born lucky, yet is sympathetic to the unfortunate like my brother. You worked to get where you are today. _You're _blood runs through the cracks of the streets, all of it from the beatings and hard work you beared through just to take a simple entrance exam. And he barely lifts a finger, and he gets the same treatment and rewards as you. They say life isn't fair, but you can make it fair if you come to the league."

Bakugou was trying to scream and yell, but nothing came out. Whatever that bastard did to him, it made him completely mute. Katsuki was using his anger to hide hide the little (major) amount of fear he was feeling. But, he also knew he would be just fine. Of course Deku wouldn't kill him.

...Right?

"If you would like, I can even take the blame. Look around you," All For One said, motioning to the dark warehouse. "No one but us is here. No one would ever know it was you. Whenever they find the remains, I'll be the one they'll blame for it. And, just like that, *_snap* _he's gone from your life. He won't be able to hurt anyone else. Even if you don't accept my offer, killing him will still benefit you. You will be avenged, and the shackles of your mind and spirit will be broken. The true villain shall be dead. And then, a brand new life. A new family, a family of people who truly understand you. A bright future of power and representation for the weak. You can make them strong. Your mother and are welcome as well. Although, Toga probably won't be too happy about that. But, can you imagine it. With your new quirks, you and your partner can live forever in a more fair and just world thanks to you. No one will ever have to suffer through what you did ever again. You'll never have to feel small, fragile, pitied, hated, or ignored ever again. You can live the rest of your life basking in the great achievements you have done for the world, and I can pass on peacefully knowing that my legacy is in the best of hands."

All For One bent down to look Bakugou in the eyes, "And we can all live happily in a world without the likes of you around. Such talent...wasted." He couldn't deny that Bakugou would have been quite the recruit. But, he had no use for him now. Izuku was the obvious choice, and had many more insecurities to exploit.

"I think I've rambled on long enough. It's time." All For One grabbed Bakugou by the back of the neck and shoved him down to his knees directly in front of Izuku, who was showing a mix of fear and anger. "Look at him. Look at your tormenter."

Izuku did as he was told. Something was wrong. Izuku was furious, but...not with All For One. He was seeing red, and it was all focused on Katsuki. All For One had to be using a quirk to tamper with his emotions or something.

"Think back to it all. Every punch, kick, and explosion brought down to bruise and sear your skin. Think of every insult and threat he's used to belittle you, destroy you, all of it. Even the ones he's thrown at the ones you care for. Remember the loneliness and separation he's cast over your life. Every terrible thought he's made you think. Every terrible action he's made you consider, or even do. Every cry, scream, and tear you've let out, only for no one to hear or care. He has sewn pain and suffering into your life, forever intertwining it to you. Take that thread, and yank it out. He has dimmed your light, and now it's time for you to snuff his out."

He crouched down to be eye level with Izuku. "Feel that anger and hatred bubble up inside of you like magma. Use your aggressive feelings boy. Let the hate flow through you. Give in to your anger. It will make you more powerful than you could ever-

_***PFFTOOOOOOM!***_

All For One heard the wind crash by him and the sound of the impact crash into his ears…

...and he turned to see Izuku with his fist extended out…

...and Bakugou under a large pile of destroyed machines and rubble on the other side of the room.

"Hehe! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes! Good, very good Izuku!" All For One almost couldn't believe it. The boy barely even hesitated. The surrogate son of All Might was now in the palm of his hand.

_'Oh, the future is bright indeed.'_

The villain turned around to his new successor and smiled. "Stand up Izuku." Izuku stood and faced All For One. "You're vision is no longer distorted by the blinding light of heroes. Finally, you can see what you were born to do. Once you have joined the rest of our group, we shall keep your status a secret for now. We shall let Tomura get used to you first before he learns he has been replaced. I do hope it doesn't end with his end. With luck we will be able to rein in his anger before things go that far. Now I am a businessman my trade, so I would like to make this absolutely official…"

All For One reached his hand out to Izuku, "...Do we have a deal, Izuku?" Izuku looked up to All For One, and grasped his hand.

All For One smiled...

"Not exactly."

...and then his smile vanished. "What?"

"I will never be a villain. I may not like a-a lot of things, but I will _never _betray All Might, my mom, Momo, my friends, or any of the good people in the world. I-I am a hero."

All For One scowled. "...What a shame. I must admit you fooled me, but now I can't allow you to live. But, before I do that…" He leaned down to be inches from Izuku's face. "I think I'll be taking my quirk back."

All For One activated his quirk through his hand clasped with Izuku's, and awaited for One For All to return to its rightful owner.

But nothing happened. So he tried again…

...and nothing happened.

Izuku kept his grasp, "I-I did change one thing about my thinking tonight."

All For One looked down at Izuku's hand to see it covered in a black energy, blocking off any direct contact.

"I'm really starting to believe that whole 'Hand Crusher' theory."

Izuku immediately shot up his power to 100% and squeezed as hard as he could. Caught off guard, All For One had no defenses up and he felt his right hand begin to crush as if it were a soda can.

"GRRRAAAAHH!" Izuku raised his other hand up and slammed it into All For One, launching him back.

"KACCHAN! NOW!"

Bakugou burst from the rubble, hardly scathed, and put up his hands. "STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO, BASTARD!"

***BOOOOM***

Before All For One could hit anything, Katsuki had jumped out and blasted him through multiple walls leaving a fiery path in his wake. Izuku ran over to him, "Let's go! That will only buy us a few seconds!"

"Fuck off!" Bakugou yelled, but still ran anyway. "How dare you fucking hit me! I'll blast you to nothing you damn traitor!" He screamed as they ran through the warehouse.

"I'm not a traitor! I didn't even make contact! It was just the air, you know that! If you didn't then you wouldn't have attacked when I said to!"

"I attacked because I saw an opening! And if you aren't with that dick, then what the hell were you two talking about!? How should I know this isn't a part of both of yo-" Both teens stopped as they looked around what room they were in. There were large tubes and glass tanks of nomu lining the wall. Surgery tables and medical equipment were everywhere. Izuku couldn't believe what he was seeing. As he looked around, he saw something on one of the tables.

"Kacchan look! It's Ragdoll!" The blonde turned to where Izuku was pointing to see the missing member of the Wild Wild Pussycats unconscious on one of the tables. He then heard the creeking of medal, and he turned around. Back in the room they were just in, All For One rose out of the flames, rubble, and broken equipment. His hand a broken and bloody mess, and his suit scorched and torn in multiple areas. He looked more pissed off than hurt. Then, Shigaraki and the now awake team burst through the doors behind All For One.

"Well then grab her and go because we gotta move dumbass!"

All For One was having the best day he's had in years just a few minutes ago. But, now he was angry. The boy had actually tricked him. _Him. _No one had managed to do such a thing in centuries. His medical equipment was destroyed, and as he looked over to his now burning table, he saw his helmet was destroyed in the blast. He was now completely without any medicine or resistance. The only thing keeping him alive and safe now was his quirks. And, his hand was crushed to the point that his healing quirks would take hours to fix it.

So basically, Katsuki's assumption was correct. He was pissed.

Izuku made the same realization, and ran towards Ragdoll…

...Only for a giant foot using a car as a shoe to bust through the building.

…

**(5 minutes Prior)**

The remains of the Bakugou Rescue Squad (Title by Ejirou Kirishima), now known as the Midoriya and Bakugou Rescue Squad (Title also by Ejirou Kirishima), had made it to the warehouse before the rest of the police could make it. But there were sirens in the distance, so they only had a few minutes at best. They stood outside the large building that looked to be abandoned with weeds and cracks everywhere on the sidewalk around it.

The streets had gotten more crowded the closer they got. And due to it being a darker part of town, and the…"night life" people were about, that meant drunken idiots.

"Yoo-hoo! Hostess! Whatcha up to! Join us for a drink why dontcha!?" Some drunken fool said, passing the group by with his friend.

His buddy, who was also tipsy, hit his friend on the shoulder. "C'mon dude, knock it off."

Momo turned around to the men with extreme irritation on her face. She was having quite the night, so she definitely wasn't in the mood for this. "Are you talking to me?"

The far more drunk man stumbled forward, "Uh yeah! The irl-gay with the ig-bay oobs-bay!"

Iida and Kirishima both stepped ahead of Momo. Ejirou spoke out first, "Hey man, back off! We don't have time for this."

"Yes! Your acts are despicable! You sho-" Momo pushed the boys to stand directly in front of the inebriated pervert. Everyone instantly became scared of the face Momo had. They felt bad for the poor drunk guy. He had caught Momo on the absolute worst night. They had never seen her like this before.

"First, I'm not a hostess. Second, I'm only 15. Third, never refer to me in that way ever again. In fact, don't speak to me again. Fourth, only one person gets to touch the so called 'ig-bay oobs-bay', and he isn't even allowed to do that yet. And he also has the strength to level this entire ward. So good luck with that if he ever finds out about this. Fifth..."

_*SHINNK*_

Momo created a Fushigiri out of her arm. "...run."

The two immediately took off after that. All the boys watched with wide eyes at what had just happened. Momo turned back around, and blinked repeatedly. "I think I blacked out for a minute there. What just happened?"

All three boys looked at one another with jaws still open wide. Todoroki decided to stop anything else from happening. "Um... it's too crowded out here. Let's see if there's anything around back."

They all followed him to the back of the building, only to find an extremely narrow gap between the buildings. Iida tried to slip in, but he just barely fit. "It's a tight squeeze, but there's a window up there. This seems to be the only way. We can look around inside and see if it's clear to enter. We can formulate a plan from there."

The rest nodded, and followed Tenya into the gap. Momo was grunting at the walls pressing against her. "Ugh. 'Ig-bay oobs-bay' are going to make me stuck" she whispered to herself.

Iida stopped the group, "Alright, the windows right above us. We're going to have to get up on someone's shoulders to see inside however. Here, Kirishima I'll give you a boost."

Todoroki turned around to Momo and bent down. "Here give me your foot; I'll lift you up."

"No thanks. I'll lift you up."

"Hm? Why not?"

"One word: Dress."

Todoroki eyes widened for a second. "Oh, right. Sorry." He put his foot down on her clasped hands, and went up and stood on her shoulders. As Todoroki looked inside, he found one small problem. "It's too dark. I can't see a thing."

Kirishima immediately began digging around in his pocket. "I knew I'd find a use for it tonight!" Kirishima said, pulling out the night vision scope. "All that cash was worth i-"

***BOOOOOM***

Kirishima and Todoroki both were startled by the explosion and looked back inside. Something had blown off a door and firelight seeped through. From the fire, they could see Izuku and Katsuki emerge. Kirishima dropped his scope down to the ground, "Holy shit! It's Bakugou and Midoriya! They're in there!"

Momo gasped, "In the room!?"

"Yeah! They're…a foot?"

"They're afoot?"

"No. A literal foot." All other members of the team looked up to see Kirishima wasn't kidding. It seemed the police and heroes had arrived, and Mt. Lady was their breaching tool.

***CRASH***

Each level of the building became a new entrance for the warehouse.

Best Jeanist and Tiger ran into the building as the foot belonging to Mt. Lady lifted from the rubble. Both heroes stopped in their tracks at the sight of the two boys. Best Jeanist turned back to the rest of the police. "We have two people here! One of them is Katsuki Bakugou! The other hasn't been identified."

Tiger raised a brow at Midoriya. "Hmm...you look awfully familiar... perha-" Tiger stopped his train of thought as soon as he saw Ragdoll on the table. "My god...Tomoko!" Tiger immediately ran to Ragdoll's naked body and picked her up.

Izuku sighed in relief as his identity was still safe…only to them remember that the most powerful person in the world was right behind them. Izuku brought down his voice as best he could to disguise it. "Tiger! We have to get out of here! There's a-uah!"

Izuku was interrupted as threads from Best Jeanist wrapped around his and Bakugou's bodies and placed them outside the building. "Stay back! We have multiple possible targets coming from inside the warehouse!

Izuku looked back into the building to see All For One slowly walking towards the heroes with the rest of the league trailing behind him. "I see the heroes have arrived. So, that means that the others are likely at the bar." With a simple flick of his wrist, the nomu that weren't destroyed by Mt. Lady vanished from their cases. "That should do it. Now if you would all excuse me, I have some business with the two young men outside." All For One raised his hand up to Best Jeanist. "So kindly…"

Best Jeanist shot out thread to capture All For One. "Stop right there!"

"...Move."

For Izuku, time slowed down. A large shockwave swirled out from All For One's arm. Izuku watched as Best Jeanist grabbed onto everyone and pulled them out of the blast just barely in time. But the hero wouldn't make it. Concrete and rubble turned to dust as the blast destroy everything for multiple city blocks.

***BOOOOOOOOOM!***

Izuku smacked against a concrete wall that managed to stay standing. Bakugou landed not too far away from him. Best Jeanist had saved them.

The Rescue Squad were all crouched down, taking cover from the blast, and they had absolutely no idea what was going on. But, the wave of fear that crashed over them was all they needed to understand that they should stay completely silent.

The dust cleared, and all that was left of the area was a near mile long clearing where buildings and police cars use to be. All For One looked down to the ground to see Best Jeanist flat on his back, his eyes wide staring up at the villain. "Impressive Best Jeanist. You managed to move them all out of the way, just in time. As expected from the number 3 hero. But, your quirk isn't very useful for Tomura. So your time is up."

He lifted his hand up towards the hero, but he only left a crater in the ground as Best Jeanist was suddenly pulled back from the scene. All For One watched as black tendrils dragged the pro out of the way. He followed them to Izuku, who was barely standing. "Ah, how could I forget about you? That power...doesn't belong to you. You really are a strong one indeed. But, my time is running out much faster no thanks to you and your friend. So, sadly a quick death will have to suffice for you."

Behind All For One, Toga began to fuss. "Aw no! Can't we keep him!?"

Shigaraki whipped around to her, "Shut up. It's about time he died."

All For One smiled as he lifted his good hand, "How right you are Tomura. Hm?" He looked up into the sky to suddenly see a red, white, and blue muscular missile coming right towards him.

"Hehehe! It's about time! What took you so lo-?" Just as All For One shifted to aim his hand at All Might, Izuku had cracked his Black Whip's around the villains hand, keeping him from defending himself.

**"GRRRUAAAAAH!" **

_*CRACK*_

The sound of All Might's fist connecting with All For One's face rang throughout the city. Windows from surrounding buildings all shattered, and the League Emperor was shot straight into the ground creating a hole hundreds of feet deep. All Might shot his line of sight directly to Izuku. **"Leave. Now. We're having a serious talk afterwards." **

The hole where All For One rested suddenly burst open even wider. The villain stepped out and turned to his minions. "Actually, I would still like to have a little conversation with the boy. Tomura, keep an eye on him."

"Of course! Kurogiri!" A portal then opened up next to the League, and they all stepped through. Soon they surrounded Izuku and Bakugou, who was just now getting up. Izuku charged up to 50%, only to hear sparking come from his hands. He looked down to see his gauntlets cracked and small sparks randomly flew out. His punches to All For One must have damaged them. Luckily they weren't totally broken, but one more hit over fifty would surely do them in.

He's going to have to find a serious way to make it all up to Hatsume.

All For One looked back to All Might and laughed, "I must say you've gotten yourself quite the successor. It seems he ha-"

***BANG***

All For One slid back from another hit. Once he regained his footing, he looked back at All Might. "Hmm...No heroic speech? No monologues?"

**"I'm not playing games anymore, All For One." **All Might said in a slow, deep voice as he slowly walked forward.

Everyone from villain to hero, to injured civilian, to incoming news team all saw something they hadn't seen since the U.S.J incident.

All Might was _not _smiling.

And he was _not _holding back.

**A/N: **I kinda just let All For One ramble didn't I? It was actually fun to write that. Thank you for reading. And to those that wanted Dad For One, honestly...I always thought it was kinda dumb and unnecessary. And yeah, All For One is supposed to be a mix of Vader and Palpatine, but Shigaraki was supposed to be the twist of "I am your father". Just in a molded way. Horikoshi doesn't follow the Star Wars layout to a T, and I doubt he wants to. Besides, Shigaraki is essentially Darth Vader in this story. Someone who was innocent but felt betrayed by the good and was manipulated by the ultimate evil in the hierarchy to become the future great destroyer. Sounds pretty Vader to me. And making Izuku some grand and destined child kind of ruins part of his point for me. I just see him as, well...a kid. Just a kid who wanted to be a hero, but was struck down and then found a way towards greatness. You feel bad and relate to him better, because you can easily see yourself in his shoes, you can envision yourself as that character, and you want to be as inspiring and devoted as that character. You want to feel like you can be someone like that too. But, making said character a promise child of some important person makes it feel like only that lineage is important, and it's not something you can do. I don't know, it's just how I feel. Sorry if that ruins anything for you, but I hope the rest of this story has been good enough to not let this effect you too much.


	34. The Rescue: The Symbol of Peace

**"RAAAH!" **

_***BAM* *BANG***_

The world watched on as The Number One Hero: All Might brutally wailed on the mysterious villain that they had never seen before. It was an odd sight for most to see their hero beat someone down with absolutely no mercy. All For One was being pushed back by the hero as the ground quaked with every hit he took. All For One was holding his arms up to block attacks, but with the speed All Might was hitting him activating a quirk was difficult. He couldn't concentrate, and he needed an opening. "Tch. Not holding back are you? Don't you care for your students? Especially Izuk-TOAH!"

All For One was interrupted by a hard punch to his diaphragm from under his arms. His already weakening respiratory system going into flux.

**"Keep his name out of your disgusting mouth. He is one of the best students in U.A. Young Midoriya has surpassed my expectations time and time again. I have full faith in him to handle himself. Besides, he gave you that broken hand didn't he? Young Bakugou as well. All I have to worry about is making sure you stay down for good this time." **All Might stated.

All For One activated his spear-like bones to extend out of his arms, but All Might broke them off. He took All For One by the forearm and swung him into a broken down building. **"I've seen that trick back when you fought my master. You've had that quirk for quite some time. What? Have you been sitting down doing nothing for all these years? Unlike you, I've been preparing for this. I refuse to lose anyone else to you."**

From the dust, All For One rose out. The dust in the air going into his lungs. He began coughing wildly. "*_Cough* _You have *_cough* _no _*cough* *cough* _idea what kind _*cough* _of quirks I now possess."

**"It won't matter. Tonight, one of us shall stand, and the other shall fall. And with how you're looking and sounding right now, I'm liking my odds."**

All Might shot forward once again, not wasting anymore time with conversation.

If All For One was talking, that meant he was still breathing…

...which meant Toshinori's job wasn't finished.

...

Momo looked around the corner of the now broken wall they were hiding behind and saw Izuku and Bakugou surrounded by League of Villains. All Might had punched All For One away from the group, and was glaring All For One down with a look she had never seen on the hero before.

But, that didn't matter. Izuku needed her, and she couldn't let him get hurt. Momo turned back to Izuku's direction and prepared another sword. Just as she was about to step out, she felt a hand grasp her arm, keeping her in her spot.

She turned back to see Iida holding her. She tried to break free, but Iida held her firmly. He shook his head and whispered, "Don't. If you go out there, we'll be caught for sure. We need to find a way to get Midoriya and Bakugou, and get out of here so All Might can focus on his fight. They don't seem to know it's Midoriya yet, so if we can get them out quickly, then we can keep it that way. He's doing just fine. He and. Bakugou can hold their own until we get them."

Momo felt that she should go out there, but Iida wasn't wrong. Izuku was grabbing and throwing large chunks of rubble at the villains using Black Whip while Bakugou was blasting them. Izuku had even managed to crack his whip around Magne and slam her right into Dabi and Compress. _'He's getting really good at his new quirk already.'_

But, it seemed they were definitely tiring out. And, of course, the two didn't work together all that well. Izuku was doing his best to avoid attacks, and avoid Katsuki's carefree explosions. Izuku looked over to Bakugou to see one of Kurogiri's portals opening up behind him. "Ka-uh Person I don't know! Look out behind you!"

"Bakugou started to turn around, "Stop telling me what to-"

_*Thwack*_

Katsuki's world slowed as from the portal came Magne's foot... directly into Katsuki's nether region. Bakugou slowly put his hands over his groin, fell to his knees, and…

"...FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-"

Momo covered her ears at Bakugou's high pitched screams. Yeah, they needed to leave.

One thing Momo thought was odd was that Izuku was _only_ using Black Whip. The realization suddenly dawned on her. _'He's disguising himself. Almost no one knows that Izuku has a second quirk, so using it will keep him unidentified. Clever, but he should choose his protecting his life over getting in trouble.'_

There was another problem, however. Izuku seemed to be in pain. His new quirk was putting a heavy strain on his arms from such heavy usage. They needed a way to get the two out of there. NOW.

Izuku could get out easily. With his speed and Black Whip, escape should be no problem. But, Bakugou was the wild card. He might not listen to them, especially not herself or Izuku. Momo looked over to Kirishima, the key to the whole operation. He seemed to be the only one that got through to Bakugou the entire year. If he was the one calling out to him, then he will listen.

Momo knew with how bad the situation was that they couldn't just get in and get out. They needed to purely get out, and to have Izuku and Bakugou with them. But, how?

First, they needed to retain their advantage of the villains not knowing they were there. Second, they needed to make sure that they stay out of the league's reach. Izuku and Katsuki can make it to them on their own. The big boss was being occupied by All Might, he shouldn't be that big of a problem. The real issue was Kurogiri.

The air was the most safe option saying that none of the League that Momo has seen has any range based quirks. But, Kurogiri's portals could be spawned anywhere. If they were going to make it out of there, he needed to be taken down…

...or they just needed to make sure he didn't see them.

Momo hasn't seen Kurogiri use his quirk very much. But, every quirk has a weakness. From what she had seen, Momo figured it had to be sight based. There had been popular portal quirk heroes in the past and they usually had to see or remember where they were going. And, since Kurogiri's body seemed to be connected to his portals, then Momo had to assume he couldn't just make portals wherever he wanted. If so, he could've just walked inside U.A. multiple times at this point. Ironically, the plan forming in her mind actually involved getting the villain's attention.

Another problem she was coming across was the amount of people. She didn't want to leave anyone behind in all of this chaos. Correction, she _couldn't _leave anyone behind or it will haunt her. But, there would be six of them when they picked up Izuku and Bakugou. It wasn't exactly a practical number for lightweight travel. And, all of them trying to fly in the air would make them one big target. Momo did her best to analyze the situation and all of their quirks. She didn't know some of the League's quirks, so luck would have to be on their side even more than it already had to be.

She knew what to do. "Boys, close your eyes."

Kirishima looked over confused, "Hm? Why-Oh! Okay nope." Kirishima, Shoto, and Iida all covered their eyes and turned away as Momo began to undo the bow on the back of her neck keeping the upper half of her dress up.

…

Izuku's arms were burning. His disguise wouldn't last much longer. He couldn't use Black Whip much more, and he could tell Bakugou was getting tired too. The villains were starting to land more blows. Izuku dodged a knife incoming from Toga, and landed back near Katsuki. Katsuki was panting heavily.

"He keeps kicking me in the dick. Why!? Why does he keep kicking me in the dick!?"

The League's circle around the two began to get tighter. Dabi's chuckled, "First off, Magne's a woman. Second, wouldn't hitting you anywhere still be hitting a dick?"

"Hmhmhmhm." Bakugou whipped his head over to Izuku trying to keep in laughter.

"Do you think that's fucking funny!?"

"W-What!? No! No, of course not," Izuku said, averting his eyes.

Shigaraki groaned, "Everyone shut up. Master wants to deal with you personally, so you both are going to stay right he-"

_***CRASH!***_

All eyes turned to the side to see a large glacier in the form of a ramp build up high into the sky, and riding up the ice was... Todoroki and Iida as a human rocket holding Kirishima. And, by "human rocket" that was literal. And passing over the group in the air was...a Russian nesting doll? '_Momo!' _ Izuku looked down to the hole where the three came from to see Momo standing there looking over to him.

(_Momo tied her dress back up, and turned to Ejirou. "I have a plan. It'll be a little unorthodox, but it should work."_

_The three boys looked at one another and then back at Momo. Iida nodded, "We'll follow your lead Yaoyorozu."_

_Momo nodded back and turned to face the wall and began to feel along the surface. "Todoroki, fill all of the cracks in the wall with ice to weaken it. You three are going to bust through it."_

_"I'm already regretting my previous statement."_

_"Just listen," Momo frowned. "You're going to repeat what you did at the bar. Kirishima, you're going to be a battering ram with Todoroki and Iida holding you. Once you're through, Todoroki you need to form a ramp of ice as you go. You're going to propel yourselves using Iida's Recipro Burst._

_Iida spoke up, "But, my Recipro won't be strong enough to carry is all. At least, not very far. Not to mention the added weight of you, Midoriya, and Bakugou."_

_"That's why I created this." Momo lifted up a metal canister with an outward cone on one end with a fuse coming out of it. "I'm going to have to attach this to Todoroki."_

_Todoroki raised his hand, "Um, before we attach that to my body, what exactly is that?"_

_"Rocket fuel."_

_"...You know how to make that?"_

_"It's not too complicated. Just form liquid hydrogen and oxygen with hydrazine while using an unsymmetrical-"_

_"I get it. And you're going to attach that to my body."_

_"Yes."_

_"...Alright, I'm in."_

_Iida shot his hands up, about to retort, but he knew there was no way to convince them to do literally anything else. Momo created a belt, and looped it over Todoroki and the combustion chamber attaching it to his back tightly. "There's not so much that it will fire off your back or send you thousands of feet in the air, but it'll get the job done. Kirishima, you're the key to this whole thing. You're the only one Bakugou will listen to. If you call out to him, he'll follow."_

_Ejirou nodded and activated his quirk. "I'm on it boss lady." After Todoroki filled the cracks with enough ice to put severe pressure on the wall, he got onto the other side of Kirishima, hoisting him up. Iida followed Todoroki's example on the other side. "Where do you fit in Yaoyorozu?"_

_"I don't."_

_"What!?" The three said simultaneously._

_"It's just you three. Besides, someone needs to throw these." She held up a Russian nesting doll and opened it up to reveal a flashbang. "Kurogiri's portals are too dangerous. If he's distracted he can't open one and stop you."_

_"But, how will you escape in all this chaos?" Todoroki asked._

_"It's simple. You're not going to pick up Izuku." They all looked at her confused, so she decided to elaborate. "You've all seen Izuku's speed, especially with those gauntlets on. At I-Island he was matching if not going faster than All Might. He could've escaped this entire time if he wanted to. But, he's protecting Bakugou, so he can't leave. Izuku knows about the dolls, and if he's as good of a boyfriend as I know he is, he'll immediately look for me. At that point Bakugou will be in your hands, and Izuku will come for me. Izuku IS my escape route. All Might can keep the leader at bay. We'll all meet back at the shopping district near the train station, okay?"_

_The boys were all reluctant, but they trusted Momo's judgement. Each nodded their heads, and Iida and Todoroki propped their feet up on the wall behind them. Iida turned to Yaoyorozu, "We'll see you both there?"_

_Yaoyorozu smiled, "I promise." Todoroki brought his left hand back and ignited a small flame. Iida's Recipro Burst sprang to life._

_"Three...two...ONE!"_

_Momo raised a finger, "I should also mention that if I made the formula wrong then you might explode."_

_Three sets of eyes whipped to Momo, "WHAT!"_

_***TTWOOOOSH!***_

…

Everyone watched in shock at the display in front of them. Wind crashed into the rocketing teen's faces as they ascended up into the sky on a giant glacier. Todoroki stopped creating ice and they flew up into the air. Once Kirishima regained his bearings, he looked back down to the ground towards the group. He stretched his hand out to his friend.

"BAKUGOU! COME ON!"

Izuku watched as a flashbang popped out of the doll, he heard Kirishima's call for Bakugou, and Momo was still here.

That stunt wasn't meant for him. It was meant for Bakugou. Momo was waiting for Izuku instead of a big operation like that. She knew he didn't need one. Izuku smiled as he covered his eyes. '_I fell for a genius.'_

Shigaraki rushed forward to Bakugou, reaching out his hand to take hold of the hostage. But…

"RRAAAAAAAAAAH!"

_***BOOOOOM!***_

A combustion of light and smoke erupted from Katsuki's hands, sending him into the sky. He soared over buildings like a missile, a smoke trail following him. He reached out his hand and clasped it with Kirishima's, merging with the rest of the group.

He looked up and smiled, "You idiots."

"Good to see you too buddy."

Back down on the ground, Shigaraki waved through the smoke to see his hostage flying through the sky. "Kurogiri! Open up a po-"

*_**Bang***_

"Grraah!" Shigaraki saw a bright light in his peripheral vision and turned to see the rest of his team with their eyes clamped shut, including Kurogiri.

All For One raised his hand to bring the teenagers back down, but All Might rushed forward and wrapped both arms around the villains raised one. Pushing his torso forward, and bring his arms back, he snapped All For One's arm. Toshinori then backhanded All For One back into a fallen building.

_*Thuum* *Pow* *Crack*_

Izuku watched as suddenly all of the villains we knocked down by a streak of yellow. Gran Torino landed down next to the knocked down villains. He looked over to Izuku, "Get outta here kid!"

Izuku saw his opening, and went for it. All eyes were off of him. Izuku boosted to 50% and shot forward to Momo, picked her up bridal style, and in the blink of an eye was out of sight.

All For One climbed out of the rubble and sighed. "An opportunity wasted. So sad. I think it's time for Shigaraki to take his leave as well." All For One sent out a shockwave as Toshinori to distract him. All For One then raised his hand and activated his Forceful Quirk Activation quirk. It pierced Kurogiri and Magne, and a portal opened up behind Toga and the rest were magnetized to her. Gran Torino tried to chase after them, but it was too late.

Shigaraki was dragging his nails on the ground, trying to resist the magnetism. "No! Master you're too weak! You don't have your helmet and you body isn't-!"

"I'm well aware Young Tomura. But, that is not your concern. Lead the group well. I believe in you."

"No! NOOOO-!" The portal shut closed. The League of Villains was gone from the scene. All For One was the only one left.

**"How touching." **All For One turned back to see a fist flying straight into his face. *_Crack* _The League Emperor was shot back once again. **"It's so sweet to see you manipulate someone else and pretend like you care."**

"Such ferocious behavior is unbecoming of the Number One Hero. These actions don't constitute the heavenly stature the world has associated with you."

**"Well, then I guess I'll see you in Hell."**

All For One stood up straight, "Hmhmhm. It seems you're going first however."

Toshinori almost laughed. He looked All For One over. His breathing was full of wheezes and shakiness, his right hand looked like a crushed can with blood oozing down to the ground. Scuff marks, cuts, and bruises littered his body and his other arm was broken thanks to Toshinori. **"You're loss of eyes seems to be taking its toll on you. You can't even see when you're losing."**

All For One chuckled, "Maybe. But, I can still see when someone is trying too hard. You look tired All Might. You look like you could keel over right now. How tragic. If you were gone, what would happen to sweet little Ink-"

*****_**SMASH**_**!* **

Faster than a hummingbird could flap its wings a single time, Toshinori had rocketed his fist straight into All For One's Temple and continued his onslaught.

**"KEEP!" **_*CRACK* _**"HER! **_*CRACK* _**"NAME!" **_*CRACK* _**"OUT!" **_*CRACK* _**"OF!" **_*CRACK* _**"YOUR!" **_*CRACK* _**"FILTHY!" **_*CRACK* _**"MOUTH!" **At his final word, Toshinori grabbed onto All For One's face and dragged him through the air like a kite. He slammed the villains head down into the side of a building and ran along the side of it. Glass and concrete running along and cutting All For One's face. Once Toshinori reached the end of the building, he threw All For One as hard as he could into more rubble.

Gran Torino gawked at the entire attack in shock. This wasn't how Toshinori regularly fought. He was fighting as if he was a wild animal cornered by a pack of predators, wildly punching as hard as he could towards lethal areas. It was... unsettling to see Toshinori be so ruthless.

"Hehehehehe!" Toshinori growled as All For One slowly stood from his crater. "I'm happy I could help you blow off _steam _All Might." Toshinori's eyes widened as he looked to his hand to see his regular steam rise from his skin.

'_No! Damn it.'_

"That's the thing hero. I knew I didn't have to win right away. I couldn't do that, you're far too stubborn. All I had to do was outlast you. You were so determined to kill me this time around. You tried so hard. I must admit, I wasn't expecting such behavior from you. There wasn't a single moment where I could get an opening. But, in the end all I needed to do was sit back and watch you flail and spend all of your energy. However, you have a trend of pushing your limits in battle. So, let's make sure you're finished this time."

All For One raised his hand directly at Gran Torino, a shockwave building up in his arm. Toshinori's heart stopped. He burst forward and jumped in front of Gran Torino. "NO!"

_***WRRRBOOOOM***_

…

Izuku skidded to a stop in an alley outside of the shopping district. The moment he let Momo down she immediately latched back onto him, hugging him so hard he thought his mother had some stiff competition in the hugging department.

She leaned back and cupped his face. "Are you okay!? What happened in there? Were you hurt? I-I-"

Izuku reached his hands up and grabbed her wrists. "I'm okay."

He felt Momo start to shake and saw tears in her eyes. "Wh-When I saw you vanish I...I didn't...I was just so scared that you-"

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I-I'm fine. Really." Momo's tears began to fall as she nodded. She brought his face to hers began kissing him all over. Izuku had almost forgotten just how amazing life could feel when she was with him. Even with a villain assault going on, he couldn't help but feel happy to be there. "I-I th-thought about you the whole t-time."

"Mhm?" Momo hummed still kissing him.

"Not that I-I don't want to do this. I mean, I'm sure I-I need s-some comforting right now, but w-we should find the others."

Momo pulled back with her cheeks red, "Yes, of course. Sorry."

"It's o-okay." Momo took his hand and they walked out of the alley and into the giant crowd of people watching the fight on the big screens. "Later though."

Momo looked to him when he said that. His face was completely red now. She smiled and blushed as well. It immediately vanished whenever she looked to the screen herself. All Might was just hit with a massive blast trying to defend Gran Torino. Everyone watched as the smoke cleared to see…

...half of All Might's face had changed.

One side was normal, and the other side was gaunt, thin, and his hair fluffed out into flowing strands. Steam was billowing off of his body. "Izuku...Wh-...All Might...he looks like-..." Momo looked over to Izuku to see him staring wide-eyed at the screen in total silence.

_***BOOM!***_

Momo looked back to the screen to see another blast hit All Might. But, this time when the smoke cleared, it was not what Momo or anyone else expected.

_'Mr. Yagi?'_

On the screen, Toshinori stood deflated in front of Gran Torino with his arms crossed over his body to block the blasts. He had gone too hard in the beginning. He had used everything he had at the start, so angry he wasn't even thinking about his limits. And now, he was paying the price.

His skeletal form stood tall for the whole world to see. The entire plaza was silent as they gazed upon their hero.

"Wh-...What happened?"

"Who is that?

"It's All Might."

"It can't be. Why does he look like that?"

Izuku felt his world grow cold, the secret was out now.

All Might's true form was revealed.

…

Satisfaction.

The satisfaction of being right.

The satisfaction of having something you wanted to bad finally given to you.

This is what Shoto Todoroki felt as he gawked at All Might's true form.

It was him. The man in the car with Izuku that night. That man, the man who acted so fatherly to Midoriya...was All Might.

Shoto had done it. He had figured it out. And now, the proof gifted itself right to him. All the sleepless nights and theories and casework all flew through his mind. His nose started to bleed from the mind overload he was experiencing. He could only do one thing now.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT ALL ALONG! DAD MIGHT IS REEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAALLLL!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

The entire crowd all turned and watched as the son of Endeavor hysterically laughed and spazzed out. Todoroki grabbed onto Iida's shoulders began to shake him while continuously laughing.

…

_"...I am All Might. I know that makes no sense, but it wil-" _

_*Clunk*_

Inko's phone dropped to the floor as she stared at the T.V. She had just gotten home and turned on the news and saw the battle against All Might and the unknown villain. Inko had immediately tried to call Izuku, but she saw she had a message from Toshinori.

This was not what she was expecting.

Inko couldn't move. She couldn't blink. She just looked on as her Toshi faced down one of the most dangerous villains the world had ever seen.

Toshinori was All Might…

She was dating The Number One Hero…

'_Izuku is going to freak out.'_

…

"Ah, much better. Isn't it freeing to know you no longer have to hide what you really look like All Might? Now they can finally see their hero for what he truly is...a bag of bleeding skin and bones."

Toshinori closed his eyes and out his arms down. "So what?"

"Hm?"

"Big and strong, or skinny and frail. It doesn't matter. I'm still going to take you down." All Might said, his smile returning.

"Oh? Is that the hero's fire still burning inside of you? Perhaps this will quench it. Tomura Shigaraki, is actually Nana Shimura's grandson."

All Might's smile faded. His eyes widened. "W-...What?"

"It's true."

"Y-You're lying."

"Really? Am I now? Oh come now, you can see it. It's exactly something I would do. Here, I'll make it easier for you. What do you get when you take the "Shi" in Shigaraki, and the "Mura" in Tomura?"

"No." It couldn't be. It just couldn't. The boy...the _villain_...was Nana's descendent. All Might's heart fell and he screamed in his agony. "UUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

All For One laughed, "Now you see it, don't you?"

Gran Torino grit his teeth and yelled, "He...What did you do to him!? H-How did yo-"

"I merely showed him the truth."

All Might looked to the ground and agony and shame. _'What would Nana think of me?'_

"Al-...All Might!" A woman halfway crushed under the rubble behind the group tried to call out to him. "All Might...Please... P-Please don't give up! We need you!"

…

The crowds watched as All Might seemingly gave in. His smile faded and he was slouching and screaming in anguish. Izuku and Momo listened as the crowd began to share their concerns.

"He...he can't give up!"

"Yeah! He's All Might! Nothing can stop him!"

"Come on All Might! Get back in the fight!"

"You can do this!"

Izuku and Momo listened as hundreds and hundreds of voices began to scream and chant for Toshinori. Across the crowd, the rest of their team stood too. Katsuki watched as his hero had dwindled to a small and bony man right before his eyes, but...he was his hero. It didn't matter what he looked like.

All Might _never _loses.

Izuku stepped forward with tears in his eyes, "WIN THIS!"

Katsuki clenched his fist, "BEAT HIM!"

"COME ON ALL MIGHT!" They both shouted simultaneously.

At this point, the entire country had joined in. Maybe even the entire world. From the people in the streets, to the students of U.A, to Melissa, David, and all of I-Island, right down to Inko.

"BEAT HIM TOSHI! FIGHT!"

The echoes of the world reached Toshinori's ears. He looked up to All For One, and clenched his teeth.

"You're right miss...I shouldn't ever have a doubt in my heart that I could fail in my endeavor. How dare I give up."

Toshinori poured the little remaining strength he had into his arm. "I WILL DEFEAT YOU, ALL FOR ONE!"

All For One scowled, and proceeded to levitate up into the sky. "Tch. I think I'm going to vomit. All those chants and false promises. Heroes and villains. It's time to stop looking at dreams and heroics, and focus on reality." All For One's arm began to expand and break through his suit. "Spring-like limbs, Four Kinetic Boosters, Strength Enhancer x3, Air Walk, Rivets, Multiplier, Impact Recoil, Spear-like Bones, Air Cannon. The shockwaves were just to wear you down, but now I can take you out with the amalgamation of quirks I've stored up. One For All is nothing but a ghost in you. A shadow of its former self. It's a dwindling fire, desperate to out itself out. You've already passed it onto Izuku Midoriya. You have no control over him, you can't teach him, you have no idea what dark things lurk in his head. You will die with regrets tonight. But, wounded heroes are always the scariest. Wildly flailing desperate punches left and right. So maybe I'll humour you until then."

Suddenly, a fireball flew towards All For One. It was easily batted away. "ALL MIGHT!" Toshinori turned to see Endeavor, Edgeshot, and Kamui Woods approaching the battlefield. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!? EXPLAIN THAT PATHETIC FORM!"

Toshinori deadpanned, _'I really don't have time for this.'_

All For One would roll his eyes if he could. "More of you? Enough of this." He raised his quirk-filled arm toward the hero's.

_*Shk*_

All For One growled. He looked to his shoulder to find a sword lodged in it. He turned to see a thread-like Edgeshot flying around him. "Consider that a gift from my student. And if you don't mind, we'll do some saving while we're here."

Down on the ground, Kamui Woods picked up the unconscious Mt. Lady, Best Jeanist, and multiple other citizens. Tiger was doing the same while still holding on to Ragdoll.

Edgeshot looked down to All Might. "It's up to you Symbol of Peace! The nomu's are all taken care of. Now fight!" He flew back down to the ground and began helping with citizens.

Toshinori looked on at his fellow heroes. They came to help. _'Of course they did. They're amazing heroes...and they're counting on me.'_

Gran Torino began to turn to help others, but he looked back to Toshinori. "Toshinori...We're all counting on you. This victory can only be taken by you. Make Nana proud." He bounced off, leaving Toshinori to his battle.

Toshinori heard his words. He thought to everything and everyone that depended on him. The world. Dave and Melissa. Gran Torino and all other heroes. His students. Inko and his future with her. Izuku and his future. The life he wanted...no_, needed _to lead.

Nothing will stop him from achieving that.

With every fiber of his being, Toshinori pulled every last drop of strength into his body. The shadows of One For All will fight with him. At first, just his arm grew in muscle…

...But, then his entire body grew.

All Might, his hero form restored, steam flowing all around him like a ribbons, raised his head to face All For One. **"You talk about focusing on reality, yet you can't even see your own. Look at you. You can hardly even breath. That quirk-arm of yours is broken and pouring blood thanks to Young Midoriya. You can't even heal your other injuries. I'm assuming you're focusing your healing quirks just to keep you alive so that deteriorating body of yours doesn't give out. Don't you preach to me about reality! You've gone on long enough! You destroy lives! You care for nothing! You vanquish and crush people who just want to live their lives! Including me! That is something that can never be forgiven!"**

All Might crouched down and readied himself. All For One pulled out the sword in his shoulder and threw it away. "How long can that form last you All Might? A few minutes?"

**"Just about. That's enough time to take you down. How long will your respiratory system last?"**

All For One sighed, "I'm getting tired of talking. Let's finish this."

_***CRASH!***_

The hero and the villain collided in the blink of an eye. The ground shook and concrete turned to dust. From the cloud of dust, All Might came flying out crashing into the ground. All For One came out of the cloud following him. The villain shot out streams of air towards the hero. Toshinori jumped up and clapped his hands together, the shockwave cancelling out the attacks.

All Might launched at the mid-air All For One and rocketed his fist into the villain's stomach. He carried All For One and slammed him into a building wall. Toshinori grabbed onto All For One's face and dragged him up the building. Once he reached the top, Toshinori threw the villain up and slammed him back down to the ground.

Before All For One reach the ground, he used his Air Walk and stopped his descent. All Might shot down to the ground. **"SMASH!" **The two collided and blew apart. All For One sent another shockwave at All Might, directly hitting him and sending him back.

"I can feel your punches weakening All Might! Perhaps you should take a breather."

Toshinori coughed up blood and his left arm deflated. He grunted and brought it back to normal. **"Just fine!" **Toshinori shot forward and All For One extended his spikes out and slashed.

All Might ducked under the spikes and slammed another shot into All For One's diaphragm. The League Emperor began to wheeze and cough, and Toshinori picked All For One up by the neck. But, as he brought his arm back to punch, it deflated once more. All For One took his chance and grabbed onto Toshinori's good arm and squeezed down, cracking the bones.

"AAAAH!" Toshinori dropped All For One and was barely able to back up before All For One could land a lethal blow. Toshinori began to steam even more and started to shrink.

All For One dropped to the ground and began to wheeze and cough even more. His respiratory system was taking too much damage. He could hardly breath and blood began to pool in his mouth. His regeneration quirks couldn't catch up anymore.

Steam billowed around Toshinori. He couldn't keep his buff form anymore. It was draining him too much. He could just barely keep his power in one arm.

For once, both agreed on something.

This needed to end...NOW.

Both rose to their feet and stared at one another. The chants of the people still echoed through the sky and through the dust and debris. All For One tried to laugh, but it just ended in coughs. He looked back to All Might.

"Listen to these chants now. These will be the last time you hear them, and they will be the last time they are ever yelled."

Toshinori chuckled, "I wouldn't be so sure about that. Even if I die here, another will stand up one day and take my place. He's going to be even better than I could have ever hoped to be."

"Izuku Midoriya? Even I must admit there is truth to some of that. But, he's had a lack of teaching. He came here without your consent, and he's learned so much without your guidance. You've failed him as a teacher."

Toshinori smiled. "You're right. I have. I've done almost nothing to truly help him in his adventures. But, I _will _make it up to him. After today I will dedicate my life to training him to make sure the likes of you are forever stopped. I won't fail him, as a teacher...and a father."

"Ahahahahaha! *_wheeze*_ AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! So very touching. I'll be sure to give my regards to the son at the funeral!"

The two jumped forward to one another. "If anything, Young Izuku is the better teacher! He's taught me so much! For instance…!"

"Impact reco-!"

As the two sent their fists to collide with one another, just before they touched Toshinori stopped his fist. A giant blast of air shot out and sent All For One sliding backwards. "He's also taught me this!"

Toshinori aimed his arm behind his body and flicked his finger, propelling him forward to All For One. He pulled his arm back and shot it towards All For One. The villain managed to stop his slide and send his fist directly back at All Might. The two collided and the ground shook and crumbled.

"IMPACT RECOIL!"

Pain was sent back into Toshinori's arm and blood spurt out from multiple points. Toshinori gasped in pain, but stood his ground in the stalemate. "And, how could I forget the most important lesson!?"

Toshinori's power exited his arm as he slid past All For One's arm.

"I HAVE LEGS!"

Power sparked through Toshinori's leg as he launched it up straight into All For One's jaw. Blood flew out of the villains mouth, and teeth cracked and flew out. All For One was lifted off of his feet, and All Might pulled his arm back.

"I'll put everything I've got into this! And I'll finish you for good!" Toshinori felt every last ounce and flame of One For All pour into his arm. The colors all swirled and flew through him.

Nana came into his vision. Six other silhouettes surrounded her. She spoke to him. _"So many have passed this power down from one person to the next._ _Each one doing it for the greater good, and to create hope for all of mankind. And now, it's your turn. Do your best Toshinori..."_

_"And now, live your life."_

"HRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

_'Goodbye, All For One.' _

All Might felt the flames course through every vein of his body. He shot forward and drove his fist directly into All For One's head. He carried him forward, power coursing and crackling all around.

"UNITED STATES OF…!"

**"SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSH!"**

Toshinori slammed All For One down into the ground. The earth cracked and exploded from underneath Toshinori's fist. A tornado shot out from the force and power of the attack. Buildings and rubble all were ripped from the ground and flew like leaves in the wind turning to dust. The ground quaked with the ferocity of a magnitude 10 earthquake.

The tornado vanished, and everyone near the scene stood in awe at the mile wide crater where Kamino Ward once stood. In the center of it all, stood All Might. His deflated and broken fist caked in blood and sunken into the front of All For One's cheek.

Toshinori could feel the flame of his power vanish. All of it now transferred to Izuku. It was gone.

_'Goodbye...One For All.'_

*_Cough* *Cough*_

Toshinori looked down at All For One... coughing…

'_No…'. _He was still alive.

_'No...No more.'_

Toshinori bent down and grabbed All For One's head, and began to twist it.

*_Wheeze*...*Wheeze*...Al-...migh-...*Wheeze*_

Toshinori grit his teeth. He couldn't do it. His body wouldn't let him. He couldn't snap his neck. He couldn't kill him. Not like this.

Toshinori let go. "I'm not like you. Thank goodness for that. I can't kill you. Not when you're like this. Not at all. I won't stoop down to your level. The world is watching...my family is watching. I can't bear the thought of what they would think of me if I did this. But, remember this All For One. If you ever come near, talk about, or even think of my family or escaping ever again, I won't hesitate next time."

He looked up and saw the news helicopter fly overhead. It was time to turn in his resignation.

Toshinori stood up, and slowly raised his fist to the sky. He buffed up, and stood tall for all the world to see.

He was the victor.

The newscaster looked on with tears in his eyes. He spoke into his microphone, "H-...He did it. ALL MIGHT WINS!"

The people cheered and shouted. People cried and hugged their loved ones. It was over.

The heroes watched on from the sidelines. Edgeshot tried to go down to All Might to help him. "He's pushing himself. He's needs to-"

"Leave him be." Edgeshot stopped at Gran Torino's words. "It's his last job as the Number One Hero. The Symbol of Peace."

The world chanted one last time.

"ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT!"

…

Izuku closed his eyes and sighed in relief. Toshinori won. Izuku looked over to Momo and hugged her. It was the only way he could think of expressing how ecstatic he felt without crying. Momo wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged right back.

"Izuku...All Might... he's...did you know?"

"C-Can we talk about this later?"

"Sure. Come on. Let's go find the others." Momo took his hand and they maneuvered their way through the crowd. They eventually spotted their friends and made their way to them. Iida spotted them first. "Midoriya! Yaoyorozu! I'm so glad that you-"

"Mightdoriya!" Izuku was suddenly trapped by Todoroki gripping his shoulders with a crazy look in his eyes. "I saw it. I. Saw. It. I have my proof. You can't lie to me anymore. I now without a shadow of a doubt know who All Might is. Now, I'll ask you once again. And you shall tell me the truth I have been trying to hear for months. Is...All Might... you're father?"

"...No."

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"

Kirishima walked over and took Shoto into a one armed hug. "I'll handle crazy over here. I'm glad you two got out. Yaoyorozu, you're a freaking genius." He escorted a saddened Todoroki away.

Izuku looked over to Bakugou to notice he was just sitting down quietly, not even looking up at anyone. Somehow, Izuku wasn't surprised in the least. Izuku looked back up to the big screen to see a new anchor coming on to the battle site.

"_Attention everyone! We're coming onto the battlefield right now. Victims are being escorted by ambulance as we speak, and the casualty number so far is unknown. The villain that caused the damage is right over there being escorted away in the Tartarus Ambulance. Reports are coming in saying the villain is in critical condition, and his survival chance is unsure. And there's the hero of the hour now! All Might! All Might, could you explain this new look? What happened to make yo-"_

The woman was stopped as All Might didn't look at her, but simply raised his hand, and pointed to the camera. With blood pouring down his arms and head, the dawning sun basking him in light, Toshinori spoke his final words, as All Might.

"Now... it's your turn."

Izuku's world fell around him except for the image of All Might. The people around him were taking it as a message for other criminals, that the Symbol of Peace still endured.

But, Izuku knew. He knew that message was for him.

All Might was finished. He had used every last ounce of power he had, and he could fight no longer. For now, the Symbol of Peace was gone.

Izuku watched as seven silhouettes surrounded the image of All Might, and stared back at Izuku. The final nail in the coffin. The final sign that it was truly his turn. The end of an era.

One For All was Izuku's legacy now.

He lowered his head, and tears silently fell from his eyes. He felt Momo's arms wrap around him once more. He buried his face into her hair, trying to forget his problems, even if just for a second.

He missed red eyes watching him from a few feet away.

…

"You have multiple fractures and breaks in your arms, and cuts. Those shockwaves jostled your head around, so you have a slight concussion. And your muscles are completely spent. Most are pulled, some are torn. So you're going to be extremely sore for a few weeks. But, our healing quirks should help."

Toshinori closed his eyes and sighed as he fell deeper into his pillow. "Thank you doctor. And my stomach?"

"No worse than it usually is."

"Ah, thank you."

"There is another matter however." Toshinori looked over from his hospital bed in confusion. "We were given strict rules for you that said absolutely no visitors. But, uh...you see-"

"Let me guess. As short, adorable, green haired woman who absolutely refuses to leave is outside right now, am I right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Send her in. I'll take whatever I deserve. And, uh...Can we get some privacy?"

The doctor collected his things, "Of course. I'll be back in an hour or so to check up on you."

"Thank you."

The doctor exited the hospital room and made his way over to the visitors area. He saw the woman with her phone to her ear and tears in her eyes. "Excuse me ma'am?" Inko turned to the doctor. "You can see him, if you'd like."

Inko shot out of her chair and rushed down the hallway. The rest of the message repeating in her mind.

_"So I...I just wanted to say...I...I love you. I know it's only been a few months since we met. But, these last three months have been the best of my entire life. Not to mention the entire year I've had with your son. I knew that whoever was responsible for such an amazing young man, I had to love. And, so I did. You both have changed my life greatly. I've never had much family throughout my life, and I've lost most of them. But with Young Mi-... Izuku, I've gotten a taste at what it's like to have a son. And with you I've experienced a feeling that I've never felt before... which is love, I mean. Sorry, I'm not very good at this."_

It had been on repeat since she left the apartment. Inko slowed down as she approached his door. She put her hand on the handle, and entered.

When she walked through, the first thing she saw wasn't the cast's or medical equipment surrounding Toshinori. It was his eyes. Those blue eyes she's apparently been looking at ever since she bought Izuku his first All Might poster.

She closed the door and slowly approached the bed. She sat down on the edge, and he hesitantly looked at her. "...Hey Inko."

"...Hello Toshi."

They sat in silence for awhile until Toshinori decided to get it over with.

"I-... I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you. I really did. But...It was dangerous. And I know you don't like danger, and I'm the biggest danger magnet out there. I understand if you think it would be best to stop seeing each other. But, please just know that you and Izuku mean so much to me. And I will do anything to earn your forgivene-mmph."

He was stopped...by a kiss.

Inko had leaned down, and kissed him. And she wasn't stopping.

And Toshi wasn't going to argue.

He kissed back as best as he could being bedridden. Inko pulled back and cupped Toshinori's face. "You are the man that has saved not just mine, but everyone's lives countless times. You were the spark that kept my family alive. You were the only thing to keep my son going for years. You relit my heart again to be millions of times stronger than it ever was before. You're more of a father to Izuku than Hisashi ever was. And I feel for you more than I ever did anything else. Toshinori...I love you too."

She leaned back in and continued their kissing. Toshinori forced his body to sit up, and did his best to put his casted arms around Inko.

God-damn he loved this woman.


	35. More Explanations

"Say it."

"No"

"Say it."

"No."

"Say it."

"No."

The back and forth between Izuku and Shoto had been going on since they left the shopping district. Shoto was adamant on getting Izuku to tell the truth about "Dad Might". Poor Shoto's brain was broken.

Kirishima stopped them. "Alright, that's enough. We're here." The group now stood outside the Yokohama Police Station about to turn in Bakugou. "I'll go with him. You guys go ahead and get out of here. I won't say a word."

Momo turned to Ejirou with determination, "No. Kirishima we're in this together. If we get in trouble, then we'll take it as a team."

Shoto raised a brow in confusion, "Why can't we just send Bakugou in by himself? It seems he already had that idea."

"What do you me-?" As the teens looked back to where Bakugou had been standing, they noticed he was gone. They looked up to the front door of the police station to see Katsuki walk in and close the door behind him, never saying a word.

"Well...What do we do now?" Kirishima asked.

Iida took off his fake mustache and put his glasses back on. "We take the next train home and pretend like this never happened. We will not say a word to anyone about this. All we can hope for is that no one recognized us, and that U.A figures out nothing. I'll be heading to the train station for those who want to join me." As he walked away, he turned back to his friends

"And while I do not regret our actions, this is the absolute _last time. _No more missions like this. As much as I hope there isn't a next time, if there is, I won't be joining you." With that, Tenya turned around and began his trek to the train station.

Kirishima looked over to his friends, "I'll go with Iida. You guys coming?"

Todoroki nodded his head, but Izuku and Momo looked to one another and then back to Kirishima. Momo answered, "Actually, we should split up for a while. Form an alibi. If anyone did see us, then being all together will just strengthen their suspicion. We'll take the next train."

Kirishima smiled. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Or, you two are just trying to find a way to get some privacy. Either way, it's the best course of action." Izuku and Momo both blushed at the teasing. "Thanks guys, seriously. I know you two don't get along with Bakugou, but...he's my best friend, rough patches and all. You gave me the opportunity to save him, and I seriously can't thank you enough. That was terrifying, and yet fun as hell. Unlike Iida, I'll be with you two if you ever need to do something like this again. I at least owe you that. I'll see you in school. Come on Todoroki."

As the two began walking away to catch up to Iida, Todoroki turned around, pointed two fingers at his eyes, and then pointed them back at Izuku. Izuku turned to his girlfriend, "I think I broke him."

Momo laughed and took Izuku's hand. The two began to stroll back into the city, taking a long and scenic route to the train station. The streets were empty. Everyone was either at home with loved ones or at the hospitals with their injured (and hopefully not dead) friends and family.

The chaos was still fresh in the minds of the two teenagers. But, the one with the most questions was Momo. Her first questions began to spring up the moment Izuku started to panic in the bar. When Shigaraki called for his "master", Izuku seemed to immediately know what he was talking about. She didn't know how, but somehow Izuku knew about the leader of the League of Villains when no one else did. Except for All Might.

Which then brought on a multitude of other questions. All Might definitely seemed to have a history with the villain, and All Might was then revealed to be Toshinori Yagi, the boyfriend of Izuku's mother. Izuku didn't seem fazed by the All Might revelation like everyone else was, so he definitely knew about it. If Izuku knew about All Might, and he also knew about the villain leader, then what else did he know?

The holes in Izuku's stories began to spread wide open. As much as Momo hated the thought, she couldn't deny it. Her trust in Izuku was wavering. How much can she really believe? Like his apparent quirklessness until the beginning of school. Or his now sudden second quirk. All of his apparent knowledge of secrets that most of the entire world didn't even know. Or why the leader of the League of Villains had an extreme interest in Izuku.

Of course, she still believed Izuku loved her. No matter what he hid, he was still the same Izuku. And, she would still love him no matter what he was hiding. He had to have good reasons to hide anything. He was still him after all. However, Momo still needed answers. A relationship can't continue with secrets like this.

The two entered a small, quaint park. Like the rest of the streets, it was completely empty. Momo lead Izuku over to the center fountain and sat him down on the rim. She took off her and Izuku's sunglasses and put them in her purse. She crouched down in front of Izuku and pulled off his fake goatee. She then pulled out a small circular pad from her purse, and wiped away the makeup on his cheeks, making his freckles reappear on his face. She ruffled his hair to bring it back to its original fluff. "There, much better."

"...You're about to say we need to talk, aren't you?"

Momo looked down to the ground and sat down next to him. "Yeah... Izuku...I know things are really hectic, and this is probably a terrible time to ask this. But, with our lives there's almost never a good time. So, now seems like as good a time as any. So, Izuku...what are you hiding?"

"...A lot."

"...And All Might?"

"Yeah, I knew. I-I've known the whole time." Momo took a hold of his hand. "I've wanted to tell you everything, b-but it's not exactly my secret to tell. I've tried to be as honest to you as I-I possibly can. And, a lot of the things I have told you have been true. But, a f-few things weren't exactly a lie, just altered."

"Can I ask you questions? And, will you be 100% honest with me? If I say something that makes you uncomfortable then you don't have to answer now. But, eventually I'll want to know everything."

Izuku knew this would happen at some point. He just didn't expect it to happen after being in a relationship for a mere few days. This reminded Izuku about the bookstore situation a few months back. At least this time around he was allowed to touch her. "Y-Yeah, okay. Ask away."

Momo looked around at the park and pulled Izuku up to stand. "Come on. We should at least be comfortable if we're doing this." Momo lead Izuku over to a lone tree in a large patch of grass. Before Izuku could sit himself down against the tree, he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out and saw that his mom had texted him.

_Mom: Izuku, I won't be home when you get back from the hospital. I'm at the Yokohama Hospital with Toshi. Or All Might? That's still very confusing to me. I can't even imagine how you're reacting to all of this. He should be out of here by tomorrow afternoon. I think we need to have a serious talk with him. Not in a "Stay away from our family" talk. Goodness no! But, suddenly having the Number One Hero in the family will definitely have it's complications, and it's something that should be discussed. We'll be back in town tomorrow. We love you._

Izuku had a mix of three emotions. The first was relief that his mother apparently didn't know he was actually only a few miles down the road from her. She didn't even know that Izuku has known about All Might for over a year. It seemed Toshinori hadn't told her anything about that...yet. The second was nervousness that he would probably have to have the same conversation with his mom that he was having with Momo. And finally, joy. All at a simple word.

_"We."_

His mom used _"We love you" instead _of _"I love you". _

There were things happening that made Izuku think his life was going to fall apart. But, Momo, his friends, and now this, reminded him that sometimes life was awesome. And the universe seemed to finally be taking pity on Izuku, because he was starting to feel that way more and more.

Izuku sent back an "Okay, love you too", and sat down on Momo's left. "Sorry, that was my mom. She's down at the hospital with All Might right now. Thankfully, she's in the dark that we're here. She still thinks I'm at the hospital."

"I'm the same with my parents. I told them they kept me another night just in case and that they wouldn't need to check up on me. I said I wanted to stay with you and that was all Mother needed to hear to leave me in peace until I got home" Momo chuckled. The two laughed and relaxed against the tree.

Izuku looked over to Momo, awkwardly blushing. "Um, M-Momo...can w-we uh...you know?" Izuku opened his arms up a little, trying to signify what he wanted without dying of embarrassment by saying it out loud.

Momo raised her brow in confusion, but then blushed in realization. "Oh! U-Uh, of course." She shifted herself down just a little due to her slight difference in height to him, and laid her head down where Izuku's chest and shoulder connected. She placed her arm over his stomach while he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her in tightly.

Both teens were more than happy that Izuku had gotten so comfortable with physical touching so quickly. Izuku didn't know how he did it, but he still couldn't get enough. Momo was surprised to say the least. She had expected physical touching like this to be something they would have to work up to, but Izuku was far more forward than she would have ever expected. Not that she was complaining, it was just surprising.

But, those were questions for a later date. Right now, there were more important questions that Momo needed answered. "Izuku... were you really quirkless?"

"Yes. That part was true. I didn't have a quirk until the entrance exam."

"Okay. Wow, it's still weird to think about having a dormant quirk for so long."

Izuku blushed, "Um...A-Actually, that's where the altered part comes in." Momo leaned up to look at Izuku, waiting for him to continue. "When I said I was quirkless...I _really was_quirkless. No dormant quirk. No late quirk. I had no quirk at all."

"But... Izuku, you have a quirk," Momo said, clearly confused.

"I-I know. That's because m-my quirk...isn't mine." Momo stared at Izuku with a blank expression on her face.

"...What?"

An expected reaction.

"My quirk i-isn't mine. I-It was given to me...by-"

"All Might." Izuku's eyes widened as Momo finished his sentence. "It was All Might, wasn't it?" She lightly pushed off of Izuku's chest to look him directly in the eyes. "It would all make sense. He always seemed to take a liking to you out of the class. Well I did too, but that's obvious. You're powers are very similar. You knew about his condition. You're quirk's backlash was like no other. Honestly, I should have pieced something together when you two fought together on I-Island." Momo sighed, "So...your quirk...is really All Might's quirk. Is that why the villain last night had such an interest in you?"

"Yeah. He and All Might have a history. He knew that I was the one who All Might chose."

Momo rubbed her temples, "How is any of this even possible? A quirk that can be given to someone? What about your other quirk?"

"B-Black Whip is the quirk of one of the past users" Izuku explained.

Momo tilted her head. "Past users?"

"Oh, u-um I'm actually the ninth person to have th-this quirk."

"...I'm completely lost again."

Izuku sighed and spoke in a low voice. "I think I should start from the beginning." Izuku looked around one more time to make sure that no one was there but them. Once he was certain that they were alone. He turned back to Momo.

"My quirk is called...One For All."

…

"And then I said, 'Fish sticks? What about my Fist Sticks!?' And then I punched him directly into the fish market stand."

"Pfft! Hahahaha!" Now that his secret was out, Toshinori was now able to tell Inko his All Might stories. "Toshi, that's so corny!"

All Might rubbed the back of his neck in his now uncast arm, "At the time it was the best I could come up with." This specific story sparked up when Inko came in with Toshinori's food, and it happened to be fish. Toshinori was just lucky that Inko was an easy laugh.

*_ Knock* *Knock* _

The couple turned their heads to the hospital room door to see Detective Tsukauchi and Gran Torino walk into the room. Toshinori perked up in his bed, "Oh! Hey! It's great to see you two!"

Tsukauchi and Torino looked at each other in confusion. Tsukauchi said, "Wow Toshinori, you're pretty chipper for someone who just went through Hell."

"Well, it's pretty hard not to be happy when she's around," Toshinori said, pointing to Inko. Inko jumped up in surprise, now being under the spotlight.

"Oh! Um, h-hello. I'm Ink-"

"Inko Midoriya," the two said simultaneously.

Gran Torino chuckled, "Toshinori doesn't shut up about you. I can understand why. Anyone who has the patience and strength to raise your kid, and then have the same ability to somehow love this bozo over here has got to be one of the strongest things alive."

Tsukauchi raised his hand, "I second that. It's great to finally meet you. I'm Naomasa Tsukauchi, a long time friend of Toshinori."

"And I'm Sorahiko Torino. I used to be his teacher."

Inko bowed to them. "It's an honor to meet both of you." The duo walked up to Toshinori's bed and looked him over. Tsukauchi turned to Inko.

"I'm very sorry, but if we could have just a few minutes alone wit-"

"No." All eyes turned back to All Might. "I'm tired of secrets. Especially between loved ones. She's going to learn it all anyway, so she can hear whatever we have to say. She's a part of this just as much as the rest of us."

Naomasa nodded, "Of course. You're right."

Torino looked to his former disciple, "So...is it over?"

Toshinori exhaled deeply, "Yes. The last spark of my power is gone. It's all used up. As of today, All Might: The Symbol of Peace is dead. But, I still have something I need to do."

Gran Torino sighed, "Shigaraki."

"I need to find him."

"Now hold on a minute" Tsukauchi exclaimed. "If All For One is the one who said this, shouldn't we be taking this with a grain of salt. I mean, come on. Wouldn't you two know what happened to Nana's family?" Toshinori and Torino looked at one another in sadness.

Torino looked to the floor. "Honestly, no we wouldn't. When Nana's husband was killed, she put her son into a foster home. And she told us that if she ever died, we were not to enter that boy's life. She wanted him as far away from our business as possible to keep him safe. So it's possible that her son had children. AKA Shigaraki." Sorahiko turned back to All Might. "But, you still can't go."

"What? But I-"

"No Toshinori. You just lost your powers after being in the fight of your life. And to add on to that, you have a girlfriend over here and a kid who have probably been worrying sick about you for the past 24 hours, students, and no doubt meetings and such at school to deal with. You may not be a Pro Hero anymore, but you're still All Might. No matter what. Toshinori, you finally have a real life. No all day patrols. No more fights. Just a real good life to live. You need to focus on that now. Tsukauchi and I will find Shigaraki."

Toshinori frowned, but he couldn't rebuttal. "Alright. But, I want to know immediately if you find anything."

"Okay then. Now, good luck explaining all that."

"What do you me-" Tsukauchi and Torino bolted from the room, and from behind them Toshinori saw a very confused Inko. "...Oh." Inko sat down on the edge of the bed and grabbed onto Toshi's hand.

"Toshi...what do you mean your power is gone? Quirks don't just disappear. And, who's Nana and Shigaraki?"

'_ ...Oh boy.'_

…

_*Wheeze*...*Wheeze*...*Wheeze*_

The Tartarus doctor and warden looked through the cell window at the villain from Kamino Ward. "Doctor, what do you have for me?"

"Well, our blood tests don't match anyone in our database, nor his fingerprints."

"Damn. And, his health?"

The doctor shook his head in disbelief. "His respiratory system is completely broken. The only thing keeping him alive is what we believe to be multiple healing quirks. Which brings us to a little problem." The warden raised his brow in confusion. His silence gesturing the doctor to continue. "It's clear he can't move, and he can hardly speak at times. All Might certainly did a number on him. He was definitely try to kill this man. That final punch All Might did on him caused severe damage to his face. We had to do some bone reconstruction on the cheekbones and jaw. But, the problem is that he's so badly broken that if we put quirk-cancelling cuffs on him, his healing quirks will shut down. He'll die in minutes."

The warden finished the doctors statements. "And if we keep them off, there's a chance he'll someday muster enough strength to do what he did to Kamino Ward. Just great. Now I have to choose whether to take this bastard off of life support."

"There is a chance that his healing quirks are in an infinite loop with healing his respiratory system. But, there's still a chance he might heal himself enough to do some damage. At least for a few seconds. And, with what we've seen him do, a few seconds could prove catastrophic."

The warden rubbed his temples, "This is above my pay grade."

…

"...Wow."

"Yeah, I know." Izuku had just finished telling Momo the history of One For All. She was completely baffled by what she had just heard.

"Five more quirks? And personally chosen by All Might himself? I don't know even know what to say."

Izuku looked down to his lap. "We try to keep this a secret because it's dangerous. There are people out there who would do anything for this power. They wouldn't know they couldn't steal it, so they might try. Someone could come after you."

"Izuku, knowing this information makes it no more or less dangerous for me. I would still be a target." Izuku couldn't exactly deny that. "And this All For One wanted to take you under his wing for himself? And, he knew about you and I?"

"Yeah. I-If you want t-to stay away fr-guh"

Momo had grabbed onto each side of Izuku's face. "What did I just say? I'm in no more danger now than I was an hour ago. Even if knowing this information literally put a bomb on my back, I still wouldn't leave you. I love you, remember? And, you wouldn't leave me either. So you're stuck with me for good."

Izuku smiled, "T-Thanks. I l-love you too." Izuku leaned forward and pecked Momo on the lips. "All Might is gonna kill me."

"Then I propose we postpone your death by heading to the train station and heading home." That sounded like a good idea to Izuku. The two stood up, intertwined their hands, and began their walk towards the train station.

As they passed by lots of restaurants and stores, an idea popped into Izuku's head. "H-Hey, we still have a couple of weeks until school s-starts back up. Assuming I'm not dead by tomorrow, d-do you want to g-g-go out on a d-...d-...d-...?"

"A date?"

"...Yeah."

Momo giggled, "Oh, I see. You can kiss me, cuddle with me, and sleep in the same bed as me, but you can't ask me on a date?"

"S-Sorry... it's just, these are words I never thought I would ever get to ask anyone. Especially someone like you." Momo frowned a little at that, but decided not to ruin the moment.

"I'd love to. When and where shall we go?"

"...I-I didn't think that far. I'll tell you soon." Momo laughed and kissed his temple.

"I can't wait. Now, I know how much you love this dress, but it's covered in dust and debris. Let's get our regular back from the lockers and head home."

"Y-Yeah, let's go." The couple trekked their way to the Yokohama train station. Once there, they took their clothes out from their rented lockers and changed. As they waited for their train, an idea sparked to life in Momo's head. Not exactly an idea that she would usually condone. But, the past few weeks had changed her perspective on things.

"Izuku, you said that your mother wasn't home, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

Momo blushed heavily and began twiddling her thumbs. "To be completely honest with you, I really don't want to be alone tonight. Definitely not after everything that's happened these last few days. And, I don't know about you, but you're kidnapping scared me to death. I would feel far more comfortable if I could be with you and make sure you're safe. If I couldn't, I know I would be up all night worrying."

"W-What are y-you saying?" Izuku said, his blush coming full force when he realized what she was about to ask.

"Well, we've done it before. So, perhaps I could stay with you again tonight." She watched as Izuku's eyes grew by the second. "I know how sudden and fast this is. But...when you vanished...I would just rest far easier if you were there with me. Especially when the inevitable nightmares happen. This is just a random idea. You really don't ha-"

"Okay." It was Momo's turn for her eyes to widen. "...O-Okay."

"...*_ Ahem*... _Wonderful. I-I'll inform my parents."

"O-Okay." Momo might have broken his brain.

_Momo: Mother, Izuku needs one more night in the hospital. I'd very much like to stay with him._

_Mother: I thought you said last night was his last night?_

_Momo: Well, it's just in case. They want to make sure his tendons aren't worse than they originally thought._

_Mother:...You're not at the hospital are you?_

_Momo: Thank you Mother. Love you._

_Mother: Hold on, I never agreed!_

_Mother: Momo?_

_Mother: Momo!?_

_Mother: Momo!?_

_Mother: ...You're lucky I'm a romantic at heart young lady._

Momo sighed in relief at the last text. She took hold of Izuku's hand once more as their train entered the station. "Oh, and Izuku...your door locks right? Frankly, I'm quite tired of being walked in on."

"...Okay."

Yeah, she broke him.

…

"Nnnnrrgggh" Kyouka's head was foggy. She shook her head and sat up as best as she could. Looking around, she realized she was in a hospital room. _'What the fuck happened? How long have I been out?'_

Turning to the bedside table, she saw her cellphone. She picked it up and checked the date. "Holy shit! Three days!?" It had been three days, and she had absolutely no idea why or how she was out for so long. The last thing Kyouka remembered was being in the forest for the Test of Courage, and then suddenly seeing some purple gas, and then it all went blank.

Jirou rubbed her eyes and looked for the button to call the nurse. But, as she was looking the door opened. "Ah! Kyouka!"

_*Crash*_

Kyouka watched as suddenly the can of soda in Ochako's hand dropped to the ground in the blink of an eye and flattened completely. Soda began spraying everywhere. "Oh crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!" Uraraka began panicking and picked up a nearby trash can, flipped it over, and put it on top of the can. "I really need to get a handle on my new ability."

"Ochako, what the heck was that?"

Ochako then remembered why she freaked out in the first place. She looked back up to the bedridden Kyouka, and tears began to form in her eyes. "K-... Kyouka?"

"Uh...hey 'Chako. Umph!" Kyouka was suddenly tackled back into her hospital bed by a crying brunette. "Hey, I'm happy to see you too. But, I'm still injured...even though I don't know what my injuries are. Either way, easy on my body girl."

Ochako picked her head up from the crook of Kyouka's neck. "Sorry. I'm sorry it's just, you've been unconscious for days. I-I've just been so scared. I didn't know h-how the gas would affect you, a-a-and I-"

"Woah! Woah, calm down 'Chako. What gas? What happened back at camp?"

Ochako sat back up on the edge of the bed. "There was a villain attack on the camp. You and a lot of others got knocked out by a villain with a gas quirk. Tsu and I managed to take him down though. Everyone is okay. Bakugou got captured, but they just got him back unharmed. Well...except his... lower parts. There was a big battle against All Might an' another villain in Yokohama... There are parts of that I can't explain. You'll have to see them for yourself."

Kyouka's eyes widened, "Holy hell, that's a lot of information to take in."

"W-Well, I might have to overload your brain because I have one more thing to tell you." Kyouka looked over to Ochako to see her looking down to her lap and blushing. "Back at camp when me and Tsu were going to find you, we met the villain who was spreadin' the gas. He had a gun, and he put it to your head."

Kyouka's eyes shot open and she sat up straight. "What!?"

"We managed to take him down though. He's been arrested." Kyouka put her hand on her heart and relaxed back into her bed.

"Wow. Thank you, and Tsu, seriously. You really did overload my brain there."

"That wasn't what was goin' to overload your brain." Confusion was etched across Kyouka's face. Ochako continued, "When I saw that gun against your head, my heart sank through the ground. I was so scared." Tears began to form in Ochako's eyes again. "Even before that, when I heard about the attack I immediately went out to find you. I couldn't imagine what I would do if you were hurt. And there were…" Ochako remembered the dreams. "..._ signs _to signify how I felt."

Kyouka's mouth gaped open for a second._'Is...Is this going where I hope it is? It can't be, right?'_

"Tsu told me that I should just say my feelings instead of trying to ignore them. She said how I don't want another Deku situation. And... she's right. So, here it goes." Ochako breathed in deeply, leaned in, and pecked the corner of Kyouka's lips. "Kyouka...I like you. I really, _really _like you. I think you're the most beautiful, talented, and funniest person I've ever met. I don't really know what it's like to feel this way for another girl, but...I'd really like to be your girlfriend."

Ochako leaned back up and looked at Kyouka's wide open eyes. The punk rock girl was completely silent. Ochako took this as a bad sign. "S-SORRY! I-I shouldn't of-...I-... I'll go get your nurse!" Ochako jumped up and started walking towards the door, only for something to wrap around her waist. She looked down to see Kyouka's earphone jacks around her waist. They turned her around and pulled her towards Kyouka, who then replaced her jack's place around Uraraka's waist with her arm. With her free arm, she cupped the side of Ochako's face, making the brunette look down at her.

"You're a liar."

"W-...What?"

"You said you didn't like girls."

_*Smooch*_

Kyouka brought Ochako's head down to meet hers. Their lips collided together, and Ochako's arms wrapped around Kyouka's neck. Kyouka got up on her knees to make her level height with Ochako. Both kissed and molded together like they had been doing it for years. Both soon felt nothing underneath them, and then they realized that Ochako was making them float.

Ochako sighed in relief against Kyouka's lips._'Oh thank goodness it was the zero gravity and not the multiplier.'_

Suddenly the door opened, and Kaminari walked in. "Hey Uraraka, you left your-..." He looked up to see his best female friend and Ochako Uraraka making out in zero gravity. "Oh come on! Why do I have to be the one that walks in on everyone!? Can't I get a girlfriend!?"

Kyouka sent a piercing glare in his direction, "Get. The. Hell. Out. NOW!"

"Ow! Ow! Okay! I'm leaving!" Denki ran as Kyouka's earphone jacks began attacking him, closing the door behind him.

Uraraka began blushing even more, "Sorry. I-"

"Ah! Nope! Shush! Jamming-Yay is not ruining this! Lip-time!" Kyouka brought Ochako right back to where they were, continuing their session. Kyouka didn't care about what she had missed while she was out anymore. If it all lead up to this, then she didn't give a damn.


	36. Home Alone

**Author's Notes: ****I changed the rating of the story to mature. And thanks to Aerothorne on FFN, I only just hilariously realized that I changed the rating just as Izuku and Momo are about to spend the night together. I know these crazy kids are moving fast, but not that fast. Really I only boosted the rating because I want to do more mature stuff in the future, and this gives me more creative freedom and let's say and write things with far less of a limit. But, let's be real here people, teenagers are going to read mature and explicit stuff anyway. So the rate change doesn't really matter in that regard. I just wanted to say that in case anyone was wondering why I changed it.**

**Finally, I just really want to thank you all for the amazing support on this story. I still can't believe that so many people actually like this (or are even IzuMomo fans for that matter). I'm happy that so many managed to get through the rough early chapters and stick through it and help me reach where this fic is at today. I'm almost at 30,000 hits on AO3, almost 1,000 favorites and over 1000 followers on FFN, and this story has stood strong as #1 on both the IzuMomo and IzukuXMomo tags on Wattpad for a few weeks. Holy crap. Who would've thought that some dummy's first ever fanfiction full of sleepless, late night auto-correct mistakes and grammar mistakes about a rare-pair would be successful in some degree. You guys, gals, and every part of that technicolor rainbow in between are all amazing. Thank you, seriously. Now on to your regularly scheduled fanfiction.**

Kyouka was wrong. She DID care about everything she had missed. Apparently, the last few days was the biggest shitshow the world had ever seen. As Kyouka watched the news channel on her hospital room television, she gawked at the images and clips of the previous nights fight. She couldn't believe it. All Might was...a skeleton.

The biggest hulk of muscle in the world, actually looked like that. It just didn't seem real. The news reporter continued.

_"After the events of yesterday's battle, it has been concluded that the death toll has been depicted to be in the four to five hundred range. And, this is only what we have been able to_ _deduce for now as police and Rescue Heroes still search for more. All information on the dastardly villain who caused such horrendous damage is being withheld by law enforcement and the heroes involved. No word about it has come from All Might either, who has reportedly left Yokohama General Hospital right under the media's nose."_

Kyouka scoffed, "Well, if he managed to keep his own skin and bones form a secret for so long, he has to be pretty good at being elusive. What did they expect?"

_"Mrrrmmph. _Kyouka. Too much talkin'." Jirou smiled at the sleeping brunette tucked under the punk rocker's chin. When the two girls had finished with, as Kyouka dubbed it, "lip-time" Ochako had released them back down to the hospital bed…

...only for "Lip-Time 2: The Return of Strawberry Lip-Gloss" to start. As a side note, Kyouka now had a new favorite fruit. She was also pretty sure that Ochako put it on just for her, because her girlfriend (Kyouka's cheeks still hurt from smiling so much at that) definitely wasn't someone to spend money on makeup. Or on anything at all actually. So, Ochako must have had high hopes for today. Those hopes were luckily paid off.

Whenever the teens has eventually tired themselves out, the girls simply laid down wrapped around one another basking in the joy and happiness each was feeling. And, due to spending long, sleepless nights trying to look after an unconscious Kyouka, Ochako was dead tired. She had almost immediately passed out on Kyouka's chest.

Kyouka still couldn't believe just how well this all worked out. Five months ago she was heavily crushing on Momo, and Ochako was doing the same with Izuku. But, now they had each other, and both couldn't be happier with the outcome. "Sorry 'Chako." Kyouka buried her face into her girlfriend's hair and gave her a kiss. She stayed like this and held on to Ochako tighter. "Hey, I just realized I never said why I liked you too."

Ochako blushed, "Oh, you really don't have to do that."

"I really do. But, the problem is I have no idea where to start. There's just so many reasons." Ochako groaned in embarrassment and dug her face into Kyouka's chest trying to hide. "Let's see...Well for starters you're the cutest thing I've ever seen...and super sexy too."

"Kyouka stop!"

"Especially when you go all 'Terminator Mode' in a fight." Kyouka whistled then said, "Oh boy!"

Ochako covered her face with her hands. She began to rise into the air due to accidentally activating her quirk, but before she could get too far Kyouka rewrapped her arms around Ochako and pulled her right back down to her.

"Ah ah ah, you're not escaping this. Now where was I? I'll give you an extremely cut down summary. Ironically, I love how bubbly you are even though I'm the exact opposite. I love your determination and heart. I think your stinginess is cute and shows your devotion to help your parents. Also, I hope you know I'm going to pay for everything you'll ever need or want now. You don't have a choice."

A smile crept onto Ochako's face. Kyouka was usually shy, but when it came to teasing and cracking jokes she was the queen. But, Ochako realized that it wasn't just teasing like she would expect from Kyouka. It was Kyouka's genuine feelings for her. The brunette lifted her head up and softly kissed Kyouka on the lips. Kyouka then leaned in closely to Ochako's ear and whispered, "And you have one hell of an ass." Ochako punched Kyouka's shoulder as the latter laughed. "I mean don't get me wrong, your boobs are utterly spectacular. But...that ass."

"KYOUKA!"

"Hahaha! Sorry! I'm sorry...but it's true."

_"What we do know is that All Might has officially resigned as a Pro. Ladies and gentlemen, it seems we are at the end of a great era."_

Kyouka and Ochako looked up to the television at those words. It indeed was the end of an era. All Might had been around for as long as they could remember, and now he was just...gone. Not literally, but it almost felt that way. With All Might retired...what now?

Ochako pushed herself up onto one arm. "Wow...All Might actually retired. I wonder how Deku's taking it. Ah! Deku!" Ochako rushed off of the bed, grabbed her cellphone, and began dialing Izuku's number.

Kyouka looked over to Ochako with a raised brow. "Please don't tell me you just realized you actually still have feelings for him."

"What? No. Deku, Yaomomo, Todoroki, and Kirishima went off to try and save Bakugou. They might have been in that battle. I can't believe I forgot to check in!"

"Holy shit. They actually went off to save him? Are they insane!?"

Uraraka deadpanned, "Honestly, I sometimes worry that Deku actually might be." She put her phone up to her ear and listened to the ring.

"_ Hello?"_

"Hm? Yaomomo? Where's Deku?"

_"He's uh...not all there at the moment." _In the background, Ochako could hear an "...Okay" that sounded a lot like Izuku. He sounded dazed. "Anyway, I assume you're calling to ask how the rescue went?"

"Yeah. I heard that Bakugou was rescued, but I don't know if it was you guys."

_"Well, we actually managed to save him at first. But, Shigaraki had unplanned backup."_

Ochako tilted her head, "Backup? What was it?"

_"It was the villain from the news."_

Ochako's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. "You guys actually fought him!? He leveled a chunk of the whole city!"

_"Oh! No we didn't fight him. We escaped when the heroes arrived. We took Bakugou to the police station and we weren't recognized. So, until we figure out if U.A gets any word of it we're in the clear. Izuku did get mixed up a little in the battle, but he's perfectly fine now."_

_"Okay."_

_"Well...mostly. We're almost back in Musutafu. Iida and the others should already be home."_

Ochako was taken aback, "Wait. You actually managed to convince Iida to go along with you? How did you do that!?"

"_ ...It's a long story. Izuku got punched in the face, big confrontation, etc. Before I go, how's Kyouka? Has she woken up yet?"_

"Oh yeah! She's right behind me. Here, I'll put you on speaker phone." Ochako turned on speaker, and walked back over to Kyouka.

"Yaomomo you must really love Midoriya if you're willing to go on a suicide mission for him. You're absolutely crazy."

Yaoyorozu sighed, _"I am. But, it's worth it. Besides, he would do the same for me, you, and anyone who needed it. But, enough about me. How are you? Are you in any pain? Do you need me to-?"_

"Woah! Calm down. I'm alright. It was just some gas by some stupid kid. I'm sure I can manage."

_"Of course you can. I can stop by. Izuku and I will catch another train and head over there."_

"No Yaomomo I'm fine, seriously. You don't need to come out all this way to see me. Besides, I have the best person to take care of me right here." Kyouka hooked her arm around Ochako. "I'll come see you when I get out, I promise. You just take care of Lover Boy."

_"... Alright. But, if anything happens-"_

"You'll be the first to know. Talk to you later?"

_"Yeah. I should probably fix Izuku anyway. He's been like this for awhile. Goodbye Kyouka."_

_*Click*_

Kyouka chuckled, "You know what's funny? We got together before our former crushes did. Ha!"

Ochako smiled nervously, "Um...actually, Deku and Momo got together back at camp."

"What!? When!?"

Ochako shrugged, "I think before or during the attack or something. I only figured it out when me and the rest of our class walked in on them kissing in Izuku's hospital room."

Kyouka slumped down and blew up her bangs. "Damn it. I thought we were the first couple of our grade." Kyouka then felt a hand (minus the pinkie) wrap around her own.

"I don't care who was first as long as it happened." Kyouka smiled and grasped Ochako's hand back.

"Yeah. You're right. So...you wanna make Lip Time 3?"

*_ Crash* _

The door was suddenly kicked open by Kyouka's father. "KYOUKAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Dad! Stop singing Old Man! This is a hospital!"

Kyouka's mother then walked into the room. "Yes. It is a hospital, and _not _a college dorm room for "Lip Time 3".

Kyouka now suddenly hated her mother's quirk. "Damn it. How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that your father owes me 5,000 yen."

Kyotoku groaned as he began fishing around for his wallet, "Damn it Mika. I was hoping you would forget about that."

"Wait. You guys bet on my sexuality!?"

The parents looked at each other and laughed. Mika turned back to her daughter, "Oh honey. No of course not."

"Okay, good."

"We've known you were gay for years."

"What!?"

"You're a lesbian, and we knew. We actually bet on who you would end up with. You're father bet on that Yaoyorozu girl, while I bet on this young lady over here whenever I saw you hanging around with her so much. Speaking of which, hello Ms. Uraraka. I'm Mika and this is Kyotoku. Our Kyouka has told us so much about you."

Ochako, who had been awkwardly watching the entire scenario play out, shook the parents hands. "Um, hello. I'm Ochako Uraraka...I guess you already knew that. And, uh... I'm dating your daughter."

Kyotoku leaned in closely and squinted his eyes. "Hm...I'm not sure I approve of her."

Kyouka lightly pushed his face away from Ochako, "That's his 'fake tough-guy act' way of saying he likes you."

"Damn it! Can you just let me look cool for once!?"

Both Kyouka and Mika simultaneously said, "No."

…

"W-Well, here we are." Izuku opened the door to his apartment and held it open for Momo to walk through. As she walked in, Izuku looked past her to see his neighbor looking out her front door at him. She pointed at him, then Momo, and then held a thumbs up towards him and went back into her own apartment.

So, not a great start to the night.

The sun was already setting when they arrived back in Musutafu. Time was moving too fast for Izuku. He just wished the world would slow down and let him catch up a bit. It was already the next night since the battle of Kamino Ward and the retirement of All Might, but to Izuku it felt like mere moments ago.

_'I guess I have to face the music sooner or later.'_

"How about later?" Izuku whipped around to see Momo waiting for him. "I'm sure All Might will talk to you about all of this once he's out of the hospital. Until then, just not think about it. We've had a stressful...well this entire week has been a mess. Besides you and I becoming a couple of course. But, everything else...I just believe it's time we finally have some real time to ourselves."

Izuku sighed and nodded. He walked inside and closed the door behind him. "You're right."

Momo walked up to him and hugged him tightly. "I know I don't know the feeling of all that weight on your shoulders, but All Might wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't think you can handle it. And I know you can too. So, just relax. It's just you and I tonight. No one else. No problems. No worries. Just us."

"Y-Yeah…okay. Uh, are you hungry or anything?"

Momo broke away from Izuku and shook her head. "No thank you. I ate plenty on the train. I do however need a shower. It's been over 24 hours since I last bathed, and we've been in dust and debris."

"O-Oh! It's on the left down the hall," Izuku said, doing his absolute best to not think about the fact that his girlfriend was going to be naked in the room next door. And, he was failing miserably.

Momo kissed his cheek and headed to the bathroom. Before she opened the door, she turned around to Izuku. "Oh! Um, I'm sorry to be such a bother, but...I'm going to need clothes."

"Uh, y-yeah. D-Don't worry, I'll get them. I'll leave them outside the d-door." Momo nodded in thanks, and entered the bathroom.

Izuku then proceeded to panic.

_'What clothes!? We don't have any clothes in her size! What even is her size!? Busty Teenage Amazon Model!?' _Izuku rushed through the living room and into the next hall to his mom's room. He bust open her closet and began rummaging for clothes, hoping that his mom had kept some of her clothes from when she was younger.

Izuku pushed past clothing item after clothing item. He reached the end of the clothing hangers to find something odd. It was the jacket and pants of a yellow pinstripe suit. _'That's weird. It looks just like All Might's suit. Why would it be in mom's ro-...' _

Izuku's then proceeded to dry heave.

"Oh my go-huagh...no-...uhg... reh...Izuku, whatever you do, don't look in the bedside tables. Just move on. Just ignore it"

Izuku dropped down to his knees and began to look through boxes on the floor and found nothing. So he switched to the boxes on the top shelf. _'Baby photos. I have a feeling I'm going to be embarrassed enough tonight, so no thank you. Ah! Clothes!" _Izuku opened up the box to find clothes from when his mother was younger. It wasn't a large selection, but there was enough. It was getting late, so Izuku assumed Momo was going to want Pajamas. There were two options.

_'Purple Button up pajamas...or a red, short, silk nightgown.'_

Izuku was learning FAR too much about his mother tonight.

Izuku grabbed the button up and left the room...and then rushed back in and grabbed the nightgown too. For...possible future scenarios in the coming years.

As Izuku walked back to the bathroom, he noticed that the bathroom was now empty._'Hm? Where did-'_

"Oh. My. Goodness." Izuku heard that come from his room…

His All Might room…

His fanboy room…

His "this is only one of the reasons you thought you would never get a girlfriend" room…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Izuku 15% Full Cowled into his room, shoved Momo out, and grabbed anything All Might related and started shoving it into his closet. He grabbed figurines, rolled up posters, and soon all that remained was his All Might symbol comforter and a couple of other collectibles around the room. Anything with All Might's face on it was gone.

Izuku opened the door back up, "I-I'm really s-sorry about that. I'm j-just holding on to all that f-for a friend."

Momo giggled, "No. No you're not. But, that's perfectly fine. I think it's cute."

"O-Oh, well I-..." Izuku then realized what Momo was wearing. He never laid clothes out for her, so it seems she took matters into her own hands and grabbed his mother's bathrobe that was on the back of the bathroom door. But, due to it being his mother's it was too big for her. While she may have tied it around her waist, the top was too wide for her. So, she was holding up the sides to keep it on her shoulders and leaving_ plenty _of space in the chest area. "I...I...I-I brought clothes f-for you."

Izuku lifted up the clothes in his hand for Momo to take. "O-Oh. W-Well, thank you. I'll...go put this on. Your mother has...nice taste." She took the clothes, blushing heavily, and went back to the bathroom.

When she grabbed the clothes, the robe dropped off of her shoulder. Izuku has a small heart attack. When she was in the bathroom, Izuku wondered why she seemed embarrassed about the clothes. What was wrong with th-

Izuku's eyes bulged out of his head as he looked down at his hands. In his mesmerized stupor, he had accidentally kept the button up pajamas, and gave Momo the nightgown. "Oh...Oh no."

Izuku began pacing around his room muttering. "_ What do I do? Do I give her the button up? But she's already changing! I mean she took them so she's willing to wear it but that could also mean that she thought she didn't have a choice or something. Then again I guess she could just make different clothes so sh-'_

Izuku stopped. She could create her own clothes whenever she wanted to. But, she chose to wear the robe. And chose to wear the nightgown. Was...Was she doing this all on purpose?

_*Click*_

Izuku heard the bathroom door open, and feet pad their way over to his doorway. "You can take your turn now. I'm sure that warehouse wasn't the cleanest place."

He slowly turned around to see yet another image that Momo has forever burned into his brain for eternity. She stood in a deep crimson nightgown that went down to about halfway down her thigh. The bottom edge was an inch of black lace. The straps were an inch wide, but the cleavage window was large. It hugged her in all the right places, except for one place. Since this nightgown was from back when Inko was thinner, some of the measurements were off. While some spots fit pretty good, some were too tight. Like the breasts, for instance. That area was too tight on her, making the window even bigger than it should be. Her hair was down, but her single front bang was still present. She was hugging herself, clearly a little embarrassed with a deep blush on her face.

"...I...you...weji...huahe...eiy...uh…"

Momo looked away from Izuku, "Oh come on. Y-you've seen me in less." Izuku found that highly arguable. "I doubt it looks that good on me. I-"

"Perfect." Momo looked back up to Izuku. "Completely, utterly, gorgeously, angelically, perfect."

Momo couldn't help but smile. Izuku always said what she needed to hear at the right time. "You're still very corny you know. But, thank you. Now go shower. It's been too long since we've slept."

Izuku shakily grabbed a worn t-shirt and gym shorts for pajamas and made his way to the bathroom. Once the door closed, he slid down to the floor. "Tonight is the night I die."

Back out in Izuku's room, Momo looked down at herself again. _'Wow, I would have never thought Izuku would give me this. I was expecting one of his shirts and some shorts or something. This is too much...well, he really has seen me in less. And...he seemed to like it a lot.' _Momo picked her head up out of the gutter and examined the room. She giggled at Izuku's closet which looked like it was about to burst from all of the All Might merchandise. The only thing that looked almost untouched was his desk.

Momo looked closer at the desk to see an entire row of almost identical notebooks. Momo stepped over to the desk to see they were Izuku's hero journals. She picked up the first volume and laughed. Izuku wasn't kidding when he said the first few were in crayon. As she flipped through page after page she watched as the notes and drawings became more detailed. She made it to volume 9 and Izuku put his age down inside (11 years old). She flipped to a spot that seemed to have a page ripped out.

Confused, she looked to see if that page was anywhere around. Volume 12 had a page sticking out of it like a bookmark. Momo picked it up and pulled the page out. The messy handwriting matched young Izuku's. It looked like a bucket list, but...Momo didn't like some of it... or any of it.

_Things To Do For My Future_

_Become a Hero_ _Be friends with Kacchan again: __He hates me_

_Make new friends: __Everyone hates me_

_Meet All Might: Happened__ Told me to give up._

_Find love somehow: __Never going to happen._

All of this...it made Momo want to cry. What was arguably the worst past, was that "Option 1" looked to have been erased, crossed out, and rewritten over and over again. Izuku had told her that All Might had apparently said "no" when he asked the hero about quirkless heroes. While he has redeemed himself of the answer now, Momo couldn't help but feel awful. Even to this day, All Might probably had no idea just how badly that answer probably affected Izuku back then.

But, she couldn't bring this up now. They had already told each other that tonight was about forgetting problems and relaxing. Not to mention Izuku already had an ungodly amount on his plate as it is. Adding this on would be too much. He was happy now, and she didn't want to ruin that. Whenever he was ready to talk about this, Momo would be too. He can't run from it forever.

*_ Click*_

Momo heard the bathroom door open, and she hurriedly put the notebooks back on the shelf and moved away from them. Izuku walked into the room in his pajamas and shuffled around trying not to look at Momo directly. "U-Um, I-I just came to say g-goodnight. A-And that I'll b-be on the couch i-if you need me. D-Do y-you n-need anything else?"

"A-Actually, there is one thing Izuku." Izuku looked up and waited for her to continue. "You can turn around, lock the door, get into this bed with me, and sleep."

Izuku's eyes widened and he looked back and forth between Momo and the bed. Izuku shakily nodded, turned around, and locked the door. He shuffled over to the bed as Momo did the same. Each lifted up one side of the covers and slipped in. Izuku on the left, and Momo on the right. Both laid on their backs and looked up at the ceiling. Izuku's bed wasn't that big, so the teens were directly next to each other. Their bodies were touching. Hands, arms, and legs brushing against one another.

After bottling up their feelings and emotions for months, being in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, after being interrupted time after time, after all the stress and terror that they've been through the past few days, after being separated via kidnapping on Izuku's part, worrying that they may not see the other ever again, finally being alone, unintentionally wearing the nightgown…

...both knew sleep was going to have to wait.

At nearly the exact same time, both flipped to their sides and latched onto to the other. Izuku rolled onto his back as Momo stayed on top of him. Izuku wrapped one arm tightly around Momo's waist, and the other combed it's way through Momo's hair. One of Momo's hands were feeling up Izuku's pecs, and the other was rubbing his abs over his shirt.

Neither was sure how long they went on. Izuku was fairly certain the moonlight changed positions in his room since they started. Izuku just couldn't stop. His shyness had once again disappeared as soon skin to skin contact was initiated. At this point, he didn't even care why he became so forward during intimate moments. He just wanted more.

Momo moved her hands up to cup both sides of Izuku's face. During her free time in the hospital, Momo researched relationships and asked for advice from her mother. One of the pieces of advice that Momo saw commonly was to set boundaries. A couple should set boundaries to see what their significant other likes and is comfortable doing. Momo found this to be the perfect time to find some walls to set up.

Momo decided to go ahead and go through the things that the two have already done. To start, she began nibbling on Izuku's lip. He almost immediately did it right back._'Definitely comfortable with that.' _Momo then started doing the same thing on Izuku's earlobe. Momo didn't even need to test the third thing, because Izuku decided to do it himself. He flipped them over so Momo was on bottom and began kissing her neck.

Once again, Momo couldn't help but let out a small involuntary moan. _'So far so very good.' _It was time for threshold test #4, and Momo was a little scared about this one. She brought Izuku's lips back to her and reconnected them. But, this time Momo kept their lips in place, and prodded Izuku's lips with the tip of her tongue.

She heard Izuku inwardly gasp in surprise. She opened her eyes to see his pools of emerald staring right at her. He was still for a bit, but soon Momo suddenly felt his tongue touch hers. They tested the waters by slowly swirling their tongues together, and once they wanted to continue, they fully entered the other's mouth and explored.

Neither Momo or Izuku had never once thought about what the inside of someone else's mouth would feel like. But, they couldn't deny it was oddly satisfying. The moment Izuku began to suck on her tongue, Momo knew threshold #4 (French Kissing) was definitely passed.

And now, threshold #5…Petting.

Momo took Izuku's hand in hers, and ever so slowly slid it up her body until it was on her rib cage. She splayed his fingers out until they were fully spread open...and placed his hand upon her right breast.

Izuku immediately froze.

His lips disconnected from Momo's, and he stared wide eyed and slack jawed at his hand on Momo's chest. "I-I-I'm not... allowed t-to-"

"It's okay" Momo whispered.

"M-Momo. T-These are considered l-legends."

"By who?"

"Me." Momo couldn't help but giggle. No matter how nervous she was, Izuku always somehow made her feel better. "I wasn't joking."

Momo's eyebrows lifted, "Oh." She shook her head and put her hand back on Izuku's. "You don't have to... squeeze or anything. You can just...hold. Or caress them."

"W-we're going fast."

"Too fast? Because if this makes you uncomfortable you don't-"

"M-Momo. Honestly? I-I waited 15 years o-of my life to get a quirk. I waited 15 years of m-my life to get friends. I w-waited 15 years of m-my life t-to meet you. And I-I waited 16 years of my life b-be with you. I'm sick of slow."

Izuku reconnected their lips again, and softly caressed Momo's breast. Both let out small moans of pleasure. Izuku decided to take another small burst of confidence, and take his free hand on Momo's waist and move it lower to Momo's ass. Once again, he didn't squeeze or prod, he just touched and caressed. Izuku was starting to lose himself in his hormones. He began shifting around on top of Momo, until he heard a sharp gasp from her.

He pulled back and looked her over. "What's wrong!? Did I hurt you!?"

"No Izuku, it's just that...your knee…" Izuku looked down at his knee to see that in his movements he had accidentally pressed his knee right between Momo's legs.

"Oh! I-I'm s-sorry! I didn't mean to!" He immediately pulled his knee back in surprise.

"And... Izuku... you're poking me."

"Oh, sorry." He tried to shift his hands around, but Momo stopped him.

"No, Izuku…you're_ poking _me." Izuku still didn't understand until Momo looked down under the blankets between their bodies and he followed her eyes to see he was poking her...just not with his fingers.

"AH!" Izuku immediately rolled off of Momo and covered his crotch with his hands. He was sick of slow, but not _that _sick of it. "SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I-IT JUST H-HAPPENS! AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE V-VERY BEAUTIFUL A-AND-"

Momo stopped him by placing a hand on his chest. "Izuku, it's fine. I've studied extensive human anatomy, remember. I know you have a penis, as most men do. You also had an erection at the hospital the night before, and when we woke up." Izuku's blush increased even more. He thought she just didn't notice back then. "It happens. It would be like getting mad at you for sneezing. If anything I'm flattered because since you got that it means you find me attractive."

Izuku was surprised at how clinical she sounded about it. She said it all so casually as if she was in class. But, she still did have a blush across her entire face. "But, I do believe this is where we should call it a night. We have made... significant progress tonight. And maybe, this is the level we should see stay at for now. Whenever we're ready to move past this... we'll know."

Izuku breathed in a shaky breath, "Y-Yeah. Y-Yeah, o-okay." Momo fixed the blankets and laid down next to Izuku. She turned her back to him, reached back, and grabbed Izuku's arms. She wrapped them around her waist and backed up into him, starting a spooning position. "U-Uh...M-Momo I-I'm still poking y-you."

"I know. But, we're going to have to get used to it sooner or later. And it'll go away when you fall asleep... I think."

"O-Okay...but, please continue t-to take i-it as a compliment." Momo giggled and dug deeper into the warmth of Izuku's arms. Soon, sleep began to overtake them. But, right before Izuku fell asleep, one thought passed through his mind.

_'Holy crap I just did all of that! How did I do all of that!?'_

…

"I still can't believe you won't tell me everything."

"I'm sorry Inko. You're going to learn it all today. I just felt like Young Izuku should be there for it too. We're here now, so all will be known soon enough."

"Oh, all right," Inko said while pulling her keys out of her purse. She put in her apartment key and opened the door. As she and Toshinori entered, she called out for Izuku. "Izuku! Honey! We're home! There's something we need to talk to you abo-..."

The adults were surprised to see Izuku in the hall, looking like he was just caught commiting a crime, holding a tray of food...for two people. The duo awkwardly stared right back at Izuku in silence. Right next to Izuku, the bathroom door opened. "Izuku? Was that you? I could've sworn I heard somethi-..."

Now, the entire apartment was dead quiet as the young couple stared at the older couple and vice versa. The silence was only broken by Izuku.

"I can explain."


	37. The Talk (Not that kindWell A Little)

To think the morning had started so perfectly.

**(15 Minutes Ago)**

The instant Momo felt the sensation of waking up, she immediately wanted to go back to sleep. Izuku was wrapped around her like a blanket giving off the perfect temperature. One of his strong and toned arms was still wrapped around her waist tightly. During their slumber, Momo had somehow stopped using her regular pillow and was now using Izuku's outstretched arm in its stead. Her head rested perfectly on his bicep. She was limply holding the hand of her arm-pillow. His body was pressed firmly against the back of hers. Their legs were tangled together, and Izuku's face was buried into Momo's hair. She could feel his hot breath going down her neck. To sum it all up, everything was perfect.

As much as she wanted to simply close her eyes again, melt back into the soft sheets and her boyfriend's embrace, and fall back asleep, she knew that it was a good idea to go ahead and wake up. She had no idea when Inko would get back. And, even with the door locked it was still bad to see your son walk out of his room with his girlfriend in a risque nightgown.

Momo carefully turned around in Izuku's arms so she was nose to nose with him. She carefully lifted her hand up and began stroking Izuku's hair. Momo leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against Izuku's. But, suddenly Izuku immediately started kissing back. Momo gave a fake pout, "Aw, you were already awake."

"Training with All Might turned me into an early riser," Izuku said, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Then why are you still in bed?" Momo asked him.

Izuku scoffed, "Leaving a bed with you in it would be a crime. I'm training to be a hero."

Momo giggled as she wrapped her arms around Izuku's neck. "Oh? When did you get so smooth?"

Izuku blushed and looked away. "I-I'm not sure. It just happens s-sometimes."

"And he's back. Although, I must say I think I prefer this dorky Izuku. You're even more adorable that way. Smooth is nice though too."

"B-Being smooth makes it easier to do this." Izuku then reconnected their lips. Both moaned in satisfaction as their tongues easily intertwined, and they once again roamed their partner's mouth. Just as Izuku was about to once again ascend to the realm of the gods by touching Momo's bonkhonagahoogs, she rolled over on top of him and groaned.

She disconnected and said, "Ugh...morning breath."

"S-Sorry."

"No! No I was talking about me. I should go to brush my te-..." Both teens froze. When Momo was sitting up to get out of bed, she sat down into Izuku's lap...Which had a certain hardening member. The two awkwardly gazed at one another for awhile, until Momo decided to test the waters. She slowly gyrated her hips down into Izuku.

Both scrunched up their faces at the new pleasurable sensation. As the two slowly continued to grind one another, instinct took over Izuku's thought process once again. His grip that he had on Momo's hips loosened and he slowly dragged his hands up her body until they found their destination. Momo was shocked out of her trance when she felt Izuku's hands caress her breasts. It was only then did she realize what they were doing. "...Izuku."

"Hm?...Oh! U-Um…"

"I-I should really go brush my teeth."

"O-Okay."

"...Which requires that you take your hands off of my breasts."

"Oh! Right!...Yeah."

Momo blinked a few times. "...You still haven't."

Izuku immediately retracted his hands, "Sorry! Uh...D-Do you want b-breakfast?"

Momo cleared her throat, "Yes please. Just surprise me. I'm starving." Momo slid off of Izuku, accidentally giving him his last treat for the morning. The nightgown she was wearing was short, and last night and this morning's activities had pushed it further up her body. So, as she got out of bed Izuku caught the slightest glimpse of emerald from underneath the gown.

Izuku shot his eyes back up to the ceiling. "..._Green…" _Izuku had a feeling that it wasn't a coincidence she owned underwear that was the exact same shade of green as his eyes. Suddenly the dopiest smiled creeped its way into Izuku's face. This girl truly loved him. So much so that she wore his colors in special places. "Huhuhuh. Hehehehe." Izuku stumbled out of bed and into his room with the same goofy smile on his face. The memories of the previous night and that morning still fresh as he danced his way into the kitchen.

The morning was already perfect, so Izuku decided to make it even better. _'Hm? How about katsudon?' _What better way to continue such a beautiful morning than with his favorite meal? During their time together Momo has also expressed a liking to the dish, so it was a win-win. Izuku made the meals with the same happy expression on his face the entire time.

He made Momo's favorite tea, made the entire meal to near perfection, and just as he was about to set the table another brilliant idea came to mind. _'Wait! Breakfast in bed!'_

The happiness Izuku was feeling was overloading. He made up the tray of food and tea, and danced his way towards his room. Izuku backed his way through the door, and (literally) spun his way towards his room door.

"Whoo!"

Absolutely nothing could ruin today.

...Except turning around to see Inko and All Might staring at him…

...And then having his sexily dressed girlfriend walk out of the bathroom.

"...I can explain."

**(Present Time)**

Oh yeah, literally ALL of Izuku's problems could ruin the day. Last night was all about forgetting their troubles and being by themselves. It was meant to be just the two of them. Two teenagers in love. And, it succeeded. Izuku had fully forgotten about the world. He had forgotten he was training to be a hero. He had forgotten All Might retired. He had forgotten it was now his job to fill the shoes of the Symbol of Peace.

...It was just too bad that he had forgotten that his mom and All Might were coming home.

Toshinori leaned over to Inko and whispered, "Isn't that your nightgown?"

The mother whipped to Toshinori and spoke through gritted teeth, "Not. Now." Toshinori pursed his lips and back up a few feet. "Izuku...my baby boy...are you a sexual deviant!?"

"Wh-What!? No! I-!"

"Did she make you do it!? Did she take your purity away!? DID SHE HYPNOTIZE YOU WITH HER BOOBS!?"

Izuku was taken aback and Momo looked to the ground with a large blush. "No! She...well a-a little b-bit on that last one, but no! We didn't do anything!" Inko and Toshinori both looked at him in disbelief. Even Momo gave him a look that said, '_You and I both know that's not true.'_ Izuku shook his head and corrected himself, "O-Okay we did stuff, b-but NOT SEX! I swear!"

"Oh? Then you wouldn't mind if your girlfriend created a blacklight and I check your room!?"

"Wha-! Mom!"

"Or perhaps her mouth!"

"OKAY! Enough!" Toshinori stepped in between the two and took hold of Inko's shoulder with his good arm. "Inko, honey. This is Izuku we're talking about here. That boy is a lot of things, and a liar certainly isn't one of them. The same goes for Young Yaoyorozu. And Inko...they're teenagers. Whenever they get into a relationship, messing around in the bedroom is kind of half of what they do. So, even if they did do that stuff, we can't exactly say anything about it. Their relationship is their business. We shouldn't compromise and intrude on their happiness."

Inko shuffled around in place, clearly still uneasy with the idea of her son doing such things.

Toshinori leaned in and whispered, "And we've known each other for less time they've known one another and we've...you know."

"But we're adults Toshi."

"And they're Heroes-In-Training. They've been put in more adult situations at a younger age than most people. They're expected to behave older than they really are most of the time. This relationship is one of their only freedoms from that."

"But-"

"No 'buts'. You've seen those two look at each other, talk to each other, and even just be 30 ft from one another. Their in love. No doubt. They should be allowed to express it. And, I've never known you to be strict on him. Firm at times, but not strict. Maybe this bothers you so much because...it means he's really growing up?"

Inko rubbed her arm and looked down to her feet. She walked past Toshinori and stood in front of Izuku. Inko, for once in her life, only had a single tear in her eye. She wiped it away and hugged Izuku tight to her. "I'm sorry Izuku. I just-...I-"

"I-I understand. I'm sorry too. I-I probably sh-should have told you Momo was s-staying over."

Inko looked over to Momo, "Speaking of which." She unlatched from Izuku and hugged Momo. "I'm so sorry for accusing you of all that. I still mean everything I said at the hospital. You obviously make my son happier than he's ever been."

Momo returned the hug with fervor, "It's okay. May I still call you Inko?"

"Of course. And you can keep that old nightgown. It looks gorgeous on you."

"Thank you, but uh...can I change now?" Momo really didn't want to wear this with the mother of her boyfriend and her teacher in the room.

"Oh! Yes, right. Go ahead."

Izuku looked away and said under his breath, "Damn it."

Toshinori sighed in relief, "Good. Now that that's settled, we can talk about the most important subject. Young Yaoyorozu, go ahead and change and meet us in the living room. Inko, could I have a word with Izuku really quick?" Inko nodded, took Izuku's tray from him, and went to set it in the kitchen. Momo went into Izuku's room to grab clothes, and Toshinori took Izuku outside the apartment for a minute. "Okay, what I'm about to do I purely as your mentor."

"Hm? What do you me-?"

"TEXAS SMASH!"

*SLAM*

"OW! What was th-!?"

"What is the matter with you!? You took off on your own and tried to rescue Young Bakugou! Do you ever just do as you're told!? Do you know how scared I was!? What about your mother? Did you even think about her!? What would she do if both of us got killed out there!?" Izuku rubbed his cheek as he watched nervously. For the first time, All Might was actually scolding him. He was truly angry for once. "Izuku, kid I...I can't fight anymore. I'm done. I'm officially retired. My body won't let me use my muscular form anymore, and whatever spark of my power I had is gone. It's up to you now, and yet you... you're just as reckless as…"

Toshinori looked into Izuku's eyes and faltered. He couldn't do it. He couldn't be angry at Izuku for being a hero. It was why he chose him after all. After everything, Izuku still impressed him day after day.

"You're just as reckless as your old man." Izuku's eyes widened at that. Toshinori took Izuku by the head and held him close. "You run headlong into danger without a thought or care, but this time I'm the one who got hurt. You walked away unscathed. Hell, you even _broke _All For One's hand. Damn it I'm so proud of you.

I promise, I'm going to devote the rest of my life in raising you and training you properly. I've let you drive for too long. I'm not a mentor if I can't teach you. You'll be better than I could have ever hoped to be. Let's do our best, right my boy?"

"A-...All Might. Yes. Yes, o-of course."

Toshinori could feel tears soak through his shirt. "What did I just say? You- *_sniff_* You really just don't do as you're told. I told you to stop being such a crybaby?" As much as Toshinori was trying to hold it together, he couldn't help but shed a few tears. His boy was safe, and right now that's all that matters. "Now...what base did you get to last night?"

"What?"

"What base did you get to?"

"I-...What are the bases?"

Toshinori began counting the bases off on his fingers, "First base is anything up to French kissing. Second base is touching anywhere above the waist. You know what I'm talking about. Third base is all below the waist stuff. And, a home run is full blown intercourse."

"...Why do you know all of that so extensively?"

"Bupbupbup ignore the details. What base?"

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed, "I-If I'm thinking about this c-correctly than we went past 2nd base and are halfway t-to home. I'm v-very uncomfortable right now."

Toshinori laughed, "Young Izuku you sly dog. Don't worry, I won't tell. C'mon, let's get back inside."

Just as All Might put his hand on the doorknob, Izuku stopped him. "Wait...What base did _you _get to?" Izuku said, squinting his eyes at his teacher. All Might looked back at him, pretended to swing a bat, and whistled as he pointed off into the distance. Toshinori chuckled and stepped inside. Izuku groaned and covered his face, "Why did I even ask?"

Izuku followed Toshinori into the house and into the main room. Inko and Momo were sitting across from one another at the dining table with tea in the center. Momo was actually dressed properly this time. As he got closer to the table, Izuku did a double take at Momo's outfit. She was wearing the same skirt, belt, and stockings from the day of the rescue before they disguised themselves. But, she wasn't wearing the shirt from that day. She was wearing Izuku's "T-Shirt" t-shirt.

He decided to just roll with it. Hell, maybe he should just let her keep it. Toshinori took his seat next to Inko and Izuku took his next to Momo. Toshinori began his lecture. "Okay, now we can get down to business. Young Izuku...I think it's time we tell them everything." He turned to Inko and Momo, "It's time you both learn about-"

"One For All." Toshinori stopped. His eyes widened at Momo's interruption. He then immediately whipped around to Izuku.

"Holy shi-! I mean-! Come on kid! You _seriously _can't do what you're told! Keeping the secret was like your only job!"

"She figured it out herself! W-Well...she knew I-I was hiding something. I-I kinda filled in the gaps. W-We couldn't exactly hide from her for long. She _is _a genius. And th-the new quirk didn't help."

Inko raised a brow, "...New quirk? One For All?" Izuku and Toshinori looked back at each other. "I think it's time you all explain to me what's going on. I'm sick and tired of secrets."

Toshinori sighed and nodded. He took hold of Inko's hand and looked her in the eyes. "You're right. No more secrets. But, this is going to be a lot to take in."

"I raised Izuku. Do you know how many hero battles I've had to charge into and pull him out of because he wanted to take notes? I can handle it."

"Wait, really? That's hot."

"CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO THE MATTER AT HAND!?" Izuku shouted from his seat.

"Oh, right. Inko, when you asked how my power disappeared...it's because my power wasn't mine to begin with. It was given to me. And, now it's no longer mine again."

"I don't understand."

"There is a quirk that is able to be passed down from person to person. With every wielder it grows stronger and stronger. That was my quirk."

Inko leaned forward, her intrigue skyrocketed. "What was it called?"

"...One For All."

…

"So that villain you fought has the counterpart to your, or at least your former, quirk?"

"All For One, yes. He was the man who killed my master Nana, remember?"

"Yes. The grandmother of Shigaraki, I remember."

Toshinori nodded, "Yes. She's the one who gave me One For All. And, well... I've also chosen a successor. In fact, I chose a successor about a year ago."

Inko nodded and looked to her son. "Izuku."

"There was no one else that could. He was the perfect choice. There were some other people in mind before him, but the moment I saw him try and save Young Bakugou from that slime monsters I knew it should be him."

Inko put her hand to her cheek as she processed it all. She chuckled, "You know, it's funny. I really should have been more suspicious when you suddenly had a quirk." Inko looked to her son with a smile. "But, maybe you weren't meant to have one. Maybe One For All was meant to be yours."

Izuku just shrugged and rubbed the back of his head, "I-I don't know about th-that."

Momo nudged him, "Take the compliment."

All Might continued, "Izuku is my successor, and if all goes well, he'll become the Symbol of Peace now that I'm gone."

"The Symbol of Peace? Like... he's set to be the number one hero?"

Toshinori waved his hand, "Nononono it's not rigged or anything! He still has to earn it like everyone else. It's just that...well, his chances are definitely above most. He's already got the perfect heart for it, and whenever he masters his strength and all of his new powers he'll be nearly unstoppable." All Might suddenly buffed up, **"He'll SMASH through the rankings like they're nothing!" **_*Pop* _"Guah! Eh, sorry."

Inko shot forward with a napkin and wiped the blood off of his chin, "What did I say about doing that? You'll hurt yourself."

Toshinori smiled, "All the more reason to do it if I have you to take care of me."

Momo pursed her lips, "Wow. Now I know where Izuku gets his lines from."

The Quirk-Inheritor whipped to his girlfriend. "Hey! I come up with my own lines! U-Uh...N-Not that I practice l-lines or anything."

Inko chuckled, "I caught him practicing in the mirror once."

"MOM!"

Toshinori raised his hand, "Me too. It was on the plane ride to I-Island." Izuku began to repeatedly slam his head onto the table. "But, anyway we all agreed no more secrets. So Young Izuku, do you want to tell your mother where you were the other night?"

Izuku stopped his head before it could hit the table and looked up nervously. Inko scrunched up her face in confusion, "What? He got home last night and was in the hospital the night before. What do you mean?"

Izuku bit his lip and shifted in his seat. "We...W-We went to Yokohama to try and save Kac-...Bakugou."

"Wh-...What!?"

"We did it though! We managed to succeed and get him to the police station! I wasn't even touched!"

Inko pinched her nose and looked down at the table. Momo twirled her front bang nervously, "We shouldn't forget to mention that Izuku was also kidnapped."

"WHAT!?"

Izuku and Toshinori both looked as Momo in shock. That was the one thing that probably shouldn't have been said. "W-Well you said no more secrets. And like he said, he wasn't hurt in the slightest. If anything, as much as I hate to say it, it might've been for the best. Izuku was able to disadvantage All For One for his fight against All Might."

Toshinori nodded his head in agreement, "As much as I hate the idea of Young Izuku going there, if he didn't cause some of All For One's injuries and destroy his respiratory mask I could've been 6 feet under right now."

Inko shook her head and slumped back into her chair, "Izuku are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Inko sighed,"You really can't help yourself can you? I let you watch All Might videos far too much."

Izuku shakily smiled, "Sorry. I couldn't just do nothing."

"I don't expect you to." All eyes turned to Inko at her statement. "Izuku, you've had a heroic heart since you were born. You'd do anything just to help someone, even if it meant getting in trouble or worse. I can't stay mad at you for being a hero. It's just who you are."

"S-So... you're not m-mad?"

"Oh, honey…" Inko smiled, reached over, and grabbed Izuku's hand. "...I'm absolutely livid."

"Wh-... What? But you said-"

"I said I can't _stay _mad at you. I never said I wasn't angry right now. Which means you still deserve a punishment." Inko smiled sweetly at All Might. "Toshi, darling, could you please go into my closet and grab the box labeled 'baby photos'?"

"...You wouldn't."

"Izuku, your girlfriend is here. This is every mother's dream to do." Toshinori left the room and came back with the box. "Wonderful! Just set it down on the table please. And when you do that, can you go into Izuku's closet and grab the box on the top left. It's where we keep his old All Might onesies."

"NO!"

…

**(2 Hours Later)**

Izuku sat on the couch with his head in his hands, Toshinori giving him reassuring pats on the back. It was embarrassing enough when All Might opened Izuku's closet and he saw all of the All Might merchandise he tried to hide. But, now it was worse. Momo and Inko sat on the floor in front of the coffee table with hundreds of baby pictures scattered everywhere across the floor.

"And this one was when he tried to save a spider from being crushed, but it started crawling all over him." The women laughed as they viewed a picture of a three year old Izuku in an absolute panic as a harmless dust spider crawled up his arm.

Izuku groaned from his spot on the couch and Inko gave a happy sigh, "Alright. I think I've done enough. Have you learned your lesson?" Izuku simply nodder without looking up. "Good boy."

_*A PHONE CALL, IS HERE! A PHONE CALL, IS HERE! A PHONE CALL, I-*_

"Hello?" Toshinori said as he answered his phone.

Inko puckered her lips, "You know, I really should have wondered why that was his ring tone before."

"Mhm...Yeah...Sure I can come. I'll be there soon." Toshinori ended the call and stood up. "I have to go. Nezu called me in to U.A. I'll be back soon."

Inko immediately got up, "I'll take you. You're not driving in your condition."

"It's alright Inko. I'll be fine. I'll take the train if it bothers you."

"And have the media and fans all over you?"

"...Lead the way." The adults began to walk towards the door, but Inko whipped around.

"No more funny business you two. Momo, you should really go home and see you parents. I'm sure they would love to see you after this long."

Momo agreed, "You're right. I haven't seen them since they visited in the hospital. Izuku, you should come with me."

"Oh, of course."

Momo smiled, "I met your parents as a couple already. In the absolute most awkward way possible. So meeting mine now, fully clothed, would be the least you could do."

Izuku blushed, "Y-Yeah. You're right." The group all left the apartment shortly after (Not without Momo putting the nightgown and a few baby pictures in her bag). And, they parted ways to go to their own destinations.

…

**(Yaoyorozu Mansion)**

Izuku still found the giant house a little imposing. It reminded him of his girlfriend's status. He was actually dating one of the wealthiest girls in the country. They walked through the grand hall and up the stairs to the fifth and final floor. Just outside of Momo's parent's study, she turned to Izuku and took hold of his shoulders. "Now brace yourself Izuku. My parents aren't going to test you like regular parents might."

"Wh-What do you mean by that? What are they gonna do?"

"I actually don't know. Just be careful." Momo turned the doorknob and entered the study. "Mother! Father! I'm ba-" Momo was immediately picked up in a hug by her parents. "I lovf youph guysf too," Momo said, muffled by her parents bodies.

Ritchi pulled back and looked to his daughter, "We're so happy you're back Momo. But, weren't you supposed to be back yesterday? Your mother said you stayed another night at the hospital."

Momo turned to her mother, "Did you not tell him?"

Yukuna shrugged, "I didn't want to deal with your father brooding around all day."

Momo looked back to her father. "Father, I stayed at the hospital longer so I could be with Izuku...my boyfriend. You remember him."

Ritchi's eyes immediately squinted at Izuku standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Midoriya. Come here, if you will." Izuku shakily stepped forward and stood in front of Momo's parents.

"H-Hello again Mr. Yaoyorozu. It's a-an great to s-see you again. I-I just wanna say th-that I love your daughter a-and that I'll do everything I-I can to make sure she's always h-happy and lo-"

"Silence," Yukuna said. "Sit down." Izuku immediately did as he was told and sat down in a desk chair. The adults looked at one another and nodded. Yukuna began walking to one of the desks and pulled out some pictures. Ritchi began to circle Izuku, reminding him of his talk with All For One. Izuku looked over to Momo, who just shrugged.

"Midoriya, we're going to show you some images and you have to tell us what you see. Darling, if you may." Yukuna then lifted up a paper of ink blots to Izuku's face. "Now, what do you see?"

Izuku looked it over and answered, "U-Um...a pair of eyes."

Yukuna pursed her lips. "Hmmm." She pulled out another page. "And this one?"

"G-Grass, I think."

"And this one." Yukuna pulled out one final page of ink blots.

"I-...Two bears high-fiving?"

Ritchi did a double take, "I...Well I don't know what the fuck that last one was, but…" Silence rang through the room as the parents drew closer to Izuku. Soon they were nose to nose with him, intently staring him in the eyes. Izuku was totally confused, but stared back with just as much determination.

"... WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!" each parent yelled simultaneously. Izuku fell backwards out from surprise.

"Wh-What!? How was that a test?"

Momo lifted a brow, "I have to agree with Izuku. What in the world was that?"

Yukuna chuckled, "We alrea-...Well, _I _already liked him. But this test made it official. His answers prove he genuinely loves you."

"But how?"

Ritchi pulled up the first two images, "It simple. The first image his said was eyes were supposed to be giant breasts. And the second image was piles of money. Both of which you have. And he didn't see either of those, so he doesn't see those first in you. He sees you for who you are."

Ignoring the first image, Momo was still confused. "And the last image?"

"Oh, we have no idea. Maybe it was two bears high-fiving. We just needed a third picture."

Momo looked down to Izuku, "Well I think you broke him." Izuku was still on the ground with swirls in his eyes.

Ritchi began dragging Izuku out the door. "I'll take care of him. I want to teach my future son in law the wonders of wealth. Like croquet and multiple unnecessary spoons and forks at dinner."

Momo facepalmed as the two left the room. Suddenly, Yukuna was behind her. "So what base did you get to?"

…

**(U.A. High)**

"Dormitories? Interesting."

"Thank you. I think so too." Nezu layed out the blueprints for the dorms in front of All Might, Aizawa, and Vlad . "The construction crew is already building as we speak. These dorms will be a huge step in regaining the trust of the people. If we can have a school grounds that can truly protect the students, then the trust in heroes that you worked so hard to build All Might will grow back. The people are scared. Uncertainty is all we can give. If we can secure the future of the next generation of heroes, then the fear will start to lessen. Aizawa, All Might, tomorrow you two will take care of Class 1-A. Vlad and I will deal with 1-B. I believe this is the best course of action. I'll see you all tomorrow."

…

Toshinori walked out of the building to the car Inko was waiting for him in. He entered and Inko turned to him, "What was it about?"

"This," Toshinori said, handing Inko the papers.

"Dormitories?"

"Yep. Tomorrow I have to go to all of the students' houses and convince the parents to let their child move in. Nezu thinks it's the safest option. And...Maybe I can go ahead and get one person off this list. Inko, I know you probably don't trust U.A at the moment. We've failed time and time again to keep the kids safe. I know you want Izuku to stay safe. I do too. But, he also needs to-"

"He can go."

"... Really?"

"Toshi, you're right. I don't trust U.A. But, I trust you. I know you'll do absolutely everything you can keep Izuku safe and make him the best hero he can be. If you think it's the best idea, then I'll go with your judgement. Besides, I can't take him from Momo, and vice versa. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did. Those two need each other, and I know she'll keep him safe too. She'll make sure his head stays on right." Inko lifted her hand up to cup Toshinori's face and stroke her cheek with her thumb. "I love you Toshi. And he loves you too. I know you'll protect each other. Keep our boy safe."

Toshinori's heart skipped a beat. "..._Our_ boy?"

"Just accept it Toshi. You know at this point it's the truth," she said, turning on the car and pulling out into the street. Toshinori smile widened more on his face.

...This woman…

"You know, the teachers have been given living space on school grounds. But, if they live close enough they're allowed to stay in their own homes. My apartment is a bit too far away, but...your apartment is perfectly in the limits." Inko whipped her eyes to Toshinori. "And with Izuku out of the house, I'm sure it would get a little lonely. And it's in a part of the city where media wouldn't even think to look. They would look for the biggest and most expensive homes or penthouses. So...I was thinking...perhaps I could move i-"

Inko had suddenly slammed on the brakes, put the car in park, and hugged Toshinori tightly. "I would love that."

Toshinori hugged back and smiled, "I was really hoping you would." The two stayed like that for awhile, when they finally separated Inko drove off quickly. "Whoa! What's the rush?"

Inko glanced at him with a sly smile, "I'm in a very happy mood, and Izuku isn't home. I think you know what's about to happen."

Toshinori's eyes widened in realization. He smiled and leaned back in his chair.

_'I. Love. This. Woman.'_


	38. The End of the Aftermath

"So you're telling me that after a villain crisis like we've never seen before, your retirement, the children being attacked, you calmly and nonchalantly walk in here and ask me to move my daughter away from home and back to you? I don't care if she wasn't severely injured. She was still put in harm's way under your supervision."

Aizawa leaned forward in his seat, "I understand, and I won't deny our faults. But Mr. Jirou we believe tha-"

"Um, If I may interrupt," Mika said. "My husband is simply putting on an act right now. He chanted and cried tears of joy during All Might's battle, saying how amazing it was for her to have him as a teacher. So I believe it's already been decided that Kyouka can move to the dorms."

"Come on! I want to look tough just one time! Once!"

"Honey there's no point. Besides, would you really want to take Kyouka away from her first relationship?"

All Might and Aizawa looked at one another, and then back to the parents and simultaneously said, "Relationship?"

…

(Kyouka's Room)

"Well you can definitely still float things." Kyouka looked around her room as half of her belongings were aimlessly floating through the air. Ochako was banging her head against the wall.

"I don't get it! I can only double gravity whenever I don't mean to. We've tried everything!" Kyouka knew she wasn't wrong. They had tried everything they could think of. They tried only using certain fingers, holding her hand down longer, wiping her fingers across objects, both hands, etc. Every single time, the object they were using would float upward.

"Maybe it just happens in dire situations. I mean, it happened when you saw your girlfriend who you love oh so dearly in danger," Kyouka said smirking.

"It also happened to the soda can at the hospital when you woke up...and the hospital bathroom sink...and your door knob." Kyouka pursed her lips as she looked over to her door which was now missing it's handle. The knob was now on her desk flattened like a pancake.

"YYYeeeaaaah. You'll get it 'Chako. It'll just take time." Kyouka took Ochako by the waist and pulled her away from the wall. "You're one of the most determined human beings on the planet. You'll get it, especially whenever we go back to school and you have actual professionals helping you with your quirk."

"Mm...thanks Kyouka." Ochako closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around Kyouka, and leaned in with her lips puckered...only to feel nothing.

"A little help."

Ochako looked down to see Kyouka being pressed down into the floor, her gravity doubled on accident. "Ah! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" The brunette quickly pressed her fingers together and released her hold on her girlfriend. She helped Kyouka off of the ground, that time with here pinkies up.

"I can't tell if we should call that progress or not," Kyouka chuckled. Ochako just groaned and fell back onto the bed. "Maybe you're just adjusting to it. You just need to find the right sensation to tug on to activate it."

"Yeah, maybe," Ochako sighed. She suddenly felt a weight on her stomach, and looked up to see Kyouka straddling her.

"I have a couple of sensations we could test out."

Ochako blushed. "Ugh...I liked it better when you only teased Kaminari."

"Hey, you willingly signed up for this. You know what I'm about."

"Wouldn't your mom hear us anyway?"

"Hehe, probably." Kyouka flipped off of Ochako and laid on her back next to her. "Speaking of Jamming-Yay, I swore him to secrecy. I wasn't sure if you wanted to be public yet or not."

Uraraka smiled, "Well we'll never hear the end of it from Mina, but I'm fine with it from if you are."

Kyouka groaned. She had forgotten about Mina. "Maybe we'll wait a few days. I at least want a little privacy before Pinky sticks her nose into it."

"Hopefully she'll be occupied by Deku and Yaomomo to really notice us. When we're in the dorms, we'll have no place to escape," Ochako chuckled.

"I'll just use you to fly away. Speaking of which...is the ceiling getting closer?"

"Dang it." Ochako pressed her fingers together and the bed slammed back onto the floor. "You wouldn't happen to have oven mitts would you?"

...

The Bakugou's were definitely the most...interesting family Toshinori had ever met.

How such opposite personalities like Masaru and Mitsuki Bakugou can be attracted to one another, Toshinori would never know. Although he knew he couldn't exactly say he had the most normal family either. A green-haired woman that could literally cry him a river, her stuttering son who was the future symbol of peace, the son's genius, rich girlfriend, and the living skeleton of the former number one hero.

…Yeah, he had no place to judge.

"Hey All Might!" Toshinori turned around at Katsuki's call to him. Aizawa turned around as well.

"Hm? What is it Young Bakugou?"

"What exactly is Deku to you?" All Might raised his brow for a second, and just as he was about to respond Bakugou the teen interrupted. "And don't give me bullshit. Icy-Hot's been spazzing out, calling you his dad or some shit. Which I know isn't true. But, there's something still going on, so what is it?"

Toshinori knew he couldn't speak the truth. It would cause far too many problems. "Young Midoriya is my student. Just like yo-"

Bakugou walked up to All Might and whispered,

"I said don't give me bullshit. You knew that villain from Kamino, and he had an interest in Deku. He wanted nothing to do with me, but for some reason he talked to Deku the entire fucking time. And before we were taken, Deku looked like he was gonna shit his pants. He knew about that villain, just like you. Yet, no one else has ever seen or heard of him. So...What exactly is Deku to you?"

The edges of Toshinori's lips turned down slightly. He had asked Izuku about the same thing. All Might knew that if the children had made it to the bar far before the heroes, than Izuku must have been talking with All For One for awhile. All Izuku told him was that the villain tried to recruit him to take Shigaraki's place. Which made Toshinori even more scared for Tomura's like life span in the league if All For One was so easily willing to toss him into the garbage, but he couldn't worry about that right now. What worried Toshinori was how vague Izuku was about the specifics they talked about.

He had asked the boy what All For One did to push him in the wrong direction, but he simply said 'He just tried to get in my head really.' Momo had even come up to the former pro and expressed her concerns about Izuku. Apparently ever since Kamino, he had been staring off into space a lot. He wasn't just in idle thought; he seemed to be concentrated on something. But, he had simply brushed it off as his regular behavior or muttering and such.

"...He's my student."

Bakugou glared at Toshinori, scoffed, and turned around. "Fine. Don't fucking tell me. I'll figure it out myself." Bakugou walked back to his door, but stopped before he could enter. "And...thanks. For the rescue." With that, Katsuki shut the door.

Aizawa walked to All Might's side. "What did he say at the end? Why was he whispering?"

Toshinori sighed, "Nothing. He's just lost right now. Most people are since Kamino."

Aizawa nodded, and walked back to the car. "Hm. That's true. Although I expected him to mention the group of students that rescued him."

"Ghuaah!" Toshinori spat out blood in surprise. "You knew?"

"As far as most know, it was just a group of citizens in the right place at the right time trying to escape and help the heroes. But, I'm no idiot. I can tell when something is a disguise. Besides, I can recognize the green streaks of the problem child anywhere. Also…" Shouta pulled out his phone. "Kirishima posted it in the group chat."

"...You're in their group chat?"

"Not to them I'm not. I'm waiting to see how long it takes them to realize I'm there. Sadly I couldn't stop them. I only saw the text after the press conference. Anyway, It's for the best this doesn't go public. If we want people to trust U.A again, having your students go off on a vigilante mission won't help. It'll seem like we have no control over them."

"So…they're not in trouble?"

"I said publicly. On school grounds however, as homeroom teacher anything is fair game. Let's split up for now, cover more ground. It'll give me alone time to think about if I'm going to expel to them or not."

"Aizawa the-"

"No. You're not defending your favorite this time. You know what they did was wrong. Whether it was right morally but wrong legally doesn't matter. It's the rules. Now come on. I'll drop you off at the next house and then I'll swing back and get you after I'm done at mine." Shouta then got into the car and awaited for Toshinori to enter the car.

'He's right. Rules are rules. As a teacher I can't play favorites like this. Aizawa deep deep deep deep down cares for his students and has a soft spot for them all. I doubt he'll actually expel Young Izuku or anyone else. But, whatever punishment he does deal them they'll deserve.' Toshinori walked to the car and entered. 'However...I think I'll let them enjoy themselves for now.'

…

(8:00 p.m Musutafu)

"Is there really justified reason to have that many utensils?"

"No." Momo smiled as she answered Izuku's question. He was telling her about everything her father had subjected him to the previous day. They sat in the same restaurant from the day of their first real outing together. The place and exact booth where Momo first learned about Izuku's past. At least, a good portion of it. They felt it only appropriate to have their first date there as well.

"I just had to like the rich girl." Izuku said with sarcastic regret.

Momo smirked, "Do I really need to name off all of the weight that comes in the package of you being my boyfriend?"

"N-No thanks," Izuku said sheepishly.

Momo reached across the table and patted his head, "Good boy." Momo picked her tea back up and took a drink. "Just be happy that you really didn't fall for a blonde. When you said you had back luck with them, I thought you were joking. Bakugou, Toga, Muscular. The list seems to be growing."

"Hehe, yeah...I wonder how he's doing now."

"Bakugou? Probably sulking that we were the ones to save him. Well...the first time. Whatever happened in that warehouse was all you."

"Y-Yeah...it was crazy in there."

Right there. That face he made. Everytime the warehouse specifically was brought up, he seemed to look distracted. Of course that day was strange for everyone, especially Izuku. But, it was something about being in the warehouse that always made him seem off. Momo wanted nothing more than to dig deeper on it, and that wasn't even mentioning the journals. Izuku couldn't keep hiding things.

But...she simply couldn't find the right time. The night after the battle was definitely not an appropriate time. The next day was spent with her parents. And now it was there first official date, it was almost over and everything was going perfectly. They weren't exactly the best times to suddenly pry open his head to see view the dark parts.

For now, she would just have to internally gush over how handsome he looked. He was wearing a forest green button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. He also had black jeans and a silver age All Might watch. She could see he tried to slick his hair back due to the slight shine it had to it, but it clearly didn't work. His unruly tufts were still standing at attention, only now some spots were sticking in different directions. He was just so cute.

Or maybe she could externally gush.

Momo giggled and lifted Izuku's hand she had been holding across the table and kissed it. "You look so cute."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head as he blushed. "You've s-said that 4 times tonight."

"And I'm going to continue to say it. I need to catch up anyway. You've called me beautiful 17 times tonight."

"What!? No I-I haven-...I muttered it didn't I?" Momo simply giggled at him. He groaned and put his head in his hands. He couldn't help it. She was wearing a purple button up dress that ran down to just above her ankles. She wore dark brown boots and the same golden necklace from the rescue mission. The matte magenta lipstick was just the icing on the cake. "I'm screwed now that we're going to be living in the same building."

Momo blushed and looked down at the table, "And likely the same room some nights."

Izuku shook his head with a smile. "Not that I don't want to, b-but Mr. Aizawa will definitely not allow that."

"True, but I'm sure he won't be watching all the time. But, we really shouldn't stress test him...or Iida."

Izuku nodded. "By the way, do you want me to come help you pack tomorrow?"

"...Is this an excuse to rummage through my...unmentionables."

"Wha-! Ah no! I-I don't-" Momo immediately started laughing again, causing Izuku to realize she was joking. Izuku sighed, "I see you've been talking to Jirou again."

"What can I say? Her sense of humour is contagious."

The waitress from their first time at the restaurant walked over to there table. "What did I say? The author has their ways."

"Hm?"

"Nothing. Are you two all finished?"

...

"No way dude. Fuck off."

"I'm serious! She was downright the hottest chick I've ever seen! Hands down! And she's super rich too. Her personal limo driver came into the store and picked up her books." Naides Yubi sat in a restaurant down the road from father's bookstore with his middle school friend Rokuro Kubi.

Kubi slumped back into his booth, disbelief still etched on his face. "So, you're telling me that Deku, fucking Deku the quirkless wimp, he has a girlfriend. AND that girlfriend is an extremely hot chick."

"_ The _hottest. And he's definitely not quirkless, or a wimp."

"Whatever. Fuck off man. It's already a miracle that freak has a quirk, but a girlfriend now? What exactly does this so called girl look like?"

Naides shook his head, "Do you remember Momo Yaoyorozu from the festival?"

"..."

"Black ponytail, tall, could create anything she wanted with her quirk?"

"..."

Naides sighed and facepalmed, "...The girl who had her shirt open with giant tits."

"Oh yeah! Wait...No. No! No way! Now I know you're definitely lying to me! There is NO DAMN WAY that _ Deku _is dating her. She's... She's...THAT!"

Naides frowned, "I'm serious dude. I'm not kidding. They came right into the bookstore on a date. And what's so unimaginable about that?"

Kubi looked at his friend like he had just grown another head. "Are...Are you serious? He's _ Deku." _

"Izuku Midoriya. And yeah, so what? He was probably the nicest kid in the class. Hell, the whole school. It's a good thing that someone clearly sees something that we all ignored. In fact, we're just lucky he didn't turn into a villain when he got his quirk. We would be pretty damn high on that list, and it would have been justified."

"What the hell is the matter with you? There's only one explanation for this."

"Which is?" Yubi asked, becoming irritated.

"Deku must have the biggest penis in the world."

Naides stared at Rokuro with clear agitation on his face. "You know what? I'm done." He stood up from his seat and began fishing in his pocket for his wallet.

"What? Come on man, where are you going?"

"Home."

"What you like Deku now or something? What's the matter with yo-"

"You wanna know what's the matter with me? I'll tell you. I. Am. Disgusted with myself. And I'm disgusted at you. And I'm disgusted at Bakugou. And I'm disgusted at the entirety of our middle school...What did we do man? We bullied the shit out of someone who couldn't even fight back. We even told him to kill himself."

"Hey, that was Baku-"

"Well it might as well have been us too! We just stood there and laughed at him when it happened. And the worst part is...what exactly was stopping him? He didn't exactly have a good life, and we by no means made it better. He learned he was quirkless. What do we do? We mock and beat the hell out of him for it? We learned his dad left him. What do we do? We mock and beat the hell out of him for it? He wants to be a hero. What do we do? We mock and beat the hell out of him for it. Rinse and repeat for 11 years. We were monsters dude. What would we have done if he really jumped?" Rokuro just shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Huh?...Or do you not give a shit?"

"Hey. I never-"

"Whatever. He actually proved us all wrong. Besides Bakugou, he's the only one who in the school that made it to not just U.A, but the Hero Course. And he deserves it more than us, and definitely more than Bakugou. And he _ is dating Yaoyorozu. _In fact, look through there." Yubi pointed through a doorway that lead to another section of the restaurant. In the corner booth farthest away from the duo, was Izuku and Momo on their date. "I'm trying to grow up. I don't wanna be the same jerk off I was in middle school. But, clearly you haven't changed. And, until you realize that you should change too, then I think we should stop hanging out."

Naides dropped yen down onto the table. "It's on me. I'll see you around." He walked away from an ashamed looking Rokuro. Naides walked to the front desk and gave the hostess a hefty amount of yen, and pointed to Izuku and Momo in the back. "Hey, I'd like to pay for that couples dinner. They'll both probably try to brush it off being humble and all, but tell them Naides Yubi insisted." With that he left the restaurant, his conscience a little less foggy now.

Izuku and Momo walked to the front to pay for their meals, but the woman stopped them. "Oh, there's no need. Someone named Naides Yubi graciously paid for both of your meals."

Izuku's eyes widened, "Y-...Yubi?"

"Yes. He said you would both try to deflect his offer, but he insisted."

Izuku stood there speechless, not knowing what to say. Momo looked at Izuku knowingly, and softly smiled. She softly pressed a kiss to Izuku's temple and thanked the woman. She took his hand and walked him outside of the restaurant.

Izuku still felt somewhat odd walking out to a limo of all things. He was just glad the streets weren't full or people would be gawking at them. Once in the car, Momo's driver Tsuji turned around and looked at them through the cab window looking embarrassed. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just close this opening and turn up the radio so I won't see or hear anything that happens back here.'

"Thank you Tsuji."

He pursed his lips and nodded while closing the opening connecting the front seats to the back. Once they heard the muffled noise of music coming from the driver's seat, Momo leaned her head onto Izuku's shoulder. Izuku tilted his head, "Does he think we're gonna-?"

"Yes. But, we'll just let him think that. Gives us privacy just in case." Izuku decided to go along with it and wrap his arms around Momo. Momo looked down at Izuku's arms and her eyes landed down on his watch. "Did you take your gauntlets back?"

"Oh, yeah."

"How badly were they broken?"

"They weren't completely destroyed, but a lot of the wiring needs redone. Actually Hatsume was pretty happy about it."

…

(Hours Earlier)

Izuku slid open the door to the support studio and slipped inside. The quiet snores of Hatsume filled the room. Izuku walked over and looked to her workbench to see her face down on a wrench, drool dripping off of the table and down to the floor. 'I should let her rest. She gets too little sleep as it is. I'll just slip this back into its case an-'

"Hey!"

"AAAAAH!" Suddenly Izuku was face to face with Mei as she whipped around fully awake and eyes wide, dry and cracking drool on her chin.

"How's my favorite client? How badly are the gauntlets broken?"

"Oh, well th- Wait. You knew I'd break them?"

Mei took the broken gear out of his hands, "Of course you would. That's why I gave them to you in the first place. Now I get to work on them all over again!"

"O-Oh...well...you're welcome? And uh, you do know that there making the dorms d-down the road and are making renovations to the security in all the buildings right? Has no one told you to leave?"

"They can't tell me to leave if they don't see me hiding in my locker."

…

(Present)

"So I'm pretty s-sure she's still there and has been there for awhile."

Momo chuckled. She still didn't really understand the inventor, but Izuku seemed to like her. And she was definitely just as devoted to her craft as Izuku was to his. "Well, hopefully she can fix them soon. They're very useful."

"Y-Yeah. I probably wouldn't have made it out of that warehouse if I didn't have them."

"Hm, I don't know. Bakugou probably would have screamed All For One's head off," Momo joked. And once again, that same odd expression made its way back onto Izuku's face. Momo was getting even more concerned now. As much as she wanted to keep the night perfect, maybe releasing some of the tension in him would make it better. "Izuku, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Hm?"

"About the warehouse. Or at least is there something you don't want to tell me but you should anyway? And assuming from how you react when he's brought up, is it something about Bakugou?" She watched as Izuku pushed his tongue around the inside of his mouth in contemplation, clearly stalling. Momo lifted her head and looked him dead in the eyes. "Izuku, I thought when All Might said no more secrets, he meant all of us."

"...All For One asked me to kill Kach-...Bakugou." Momo's eyes widened in shock. That definitely wasn't what she was expecting. "H-He told me that Bakugou was my first test to becoming his successor."

"Well, you obviously didn't do it and he's a mad man. And I know you Izuku; you didn't want to hurt him. So, what exactly is the problem?"

Izuku sighed and put his elbows in his knees as he leaned forward. "No, I didn't want to really do it, b-but...he was getting in my head. The entire time I was there, All For One just acted like he really wanted me o-on his side. He just sounded so... convincing. There were no lies, he didn't try to make it sound like he was a good person, he was just brutally honest. Almost uncomfortably so. It's like...h-he took all of my emotions from my past and expanded it. He made me angr-...No, even if just for a second, he made me actively despise everything. And with Bakugou right in front of me...I-I don't know. I-I just can't get it out of my head. He turned me into an entirely d-different person. The fact that at points I agreed with him makes me want to throw up. And Bakugou heard All For One tell me to do it. And now he probably trusts me even less now and hates me ten times more. Not to mention I don't even trust myself, and now I have to be trusted with a power I can barely control and All Might is depending on me to fill his shoes and live up to his expectations and I have to take care of you and Mom and-"

Izuku stopped as two loving arms wrapped around him. Momo couldn't let his rambling continue. If she did, he would have gotten lost in the sea of his own mind. The world just couldn't seem to give Izuku a break. Anything good given to him comes with tons of problems, and anything bad given to him just gets worse.

One of her jobs as his girlfriend was to help carry the weight on his shoulders, but the weight just kept piling on. And Izuku was adamant on carrying it all himself. He needed to realize that while she was certain he was strong enough to pull through by himself, everyone's legs gave out at some point. He needed to know that she was there to carry as much weight as he needed and them some.

"Izuku, there's a reason why he was the leader of those villains. He manipulates and crushes people. How many people over all of the years he's been alive do you think have succumb to his lies. How many of the league do you think joined based on false promises he gave them? If anything, you've once again proven just how strong you are. You resisted him and made it out alive to tell the tale. Please tell me you realize how amazing that is."

"...Well...a-a little I guess."

"No, a lot. Say it. Say you're strong."

Izuku gave a small smile, "...I'm strong."

"Good. And Izuku, you need to promise me that you'll talk to me. That we'll talk to each other. Your problems are not a burden on me or anyone else. Your problems are mine, and mine are yours. We have to solve them together. And Bakugou's are none of our concern. I know a hero helps even when they're not wanted, but it would literally blow up in our faces. He's not someone we can just approach and help. If he wants to talk, then he'll talk. Prioritize, remember? Your plate is too full to take anything from his right now."

Izuku gave a weak, breathy laugh, "I would definitely be dead by now if I-I didn't have you to jam some sense into my brain."

"Only one of the many perks I bring to the table."

'Do her breasts count as one perk or two? Ah! What am I saying!? Stop brain!' Izuku held Momo tight to him. "I promise. I promise I'll talk to you about this kind of stuff...or anything really."

"And I promise to do the same." Momo brushed their noses together and gave Izuku a lingering kiss on his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Now, give me a moment." Momo slid her way down the limousine and knocked on the cab window.

Tsuji opened it up. "Yes ma'am?"

"Take the scenic route, please." Tsuji awkwardly nodded and closed the window once more. Momo scooted her way back to Izuku in the farthest back seats.

"Is this seat taken?" Momo sat down on Izuku's lap and leaned into him.

"Y-You've definitely gotten more c-confident lately."

"And I have you to thank for that."

The car pulled up to Izuku's apartment building 25 minutes later, and Izuku goofily stumbled into his home for Inko and Toshinori to see magenta lip marks covering his entire face and neck. Inko blinked a few times and said, "It went well I assume?"

Izuku just laughed stupidly, and walked into his room.

…

(The Next Day)

"Momo, I'm not too sure the dorm rooms will be big enough for this bed." Izuku looked down at his girlfriend's bed which was nearly as big as his living room.

"Oh really? How big are the dorms going to be?" Momo said from her closet, packing up all the garments she wanted.

Izuku walked inside the humongous closet and looked around. "H-Honestly, about as big as this."

"But this is my smallest closet."

"You have more than one?"

"...So what you're saying is, I shouldn't bring the piano?"

"You were gonna bring a pi-? I-...No. No you shouldn't. We're going to have to find you a smaller bed."

"...We don't own any smaller beds." Holy hell his girlfriend was rich. "It's alright. I'll just make a new one. I'll see the rooms and make one to fit the size."

"Oh, oka-"

"And then I'll have room for the piano."

"..."

"Darling, you fought tooth and nail to take your All Might figurines. I'll take the piano."

Izuku sighed and activated Black Whip, "I'll get it down to the moving truck."

…

"So I see you all got permission to move in." There it was. Heights Alliance. The new dorms stood tall above the students of Class 1-A, and their teacher stood before them at the entrance.

Tsu spoke out from the group, "It's good to see you here too Mr. Aizawa. I was afraid you would be blamed for the training camp."

"I was blamed, at least to some degree. But they let me off the hook for now. All Might's retirement has made the termination of anyone at U.A highly ill-advised. Which also relates to what I have to say next." Aizawa's blank stare suddenly turned into a glare. "Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, Iida, Kirishima, and Todoroki. You five not only went out to save Bakugou, but you infiltrated the villain's lair, and were actively involved in the final fight. And, everyone except Bakugou, Hagakure, and Jirou knew about it and didn't say a word. I would, and should expel you all immediately. But, technically that would be punishment for nothing because officially you were never there. You weren't caught on the news, and with it being a bad idea to lose anyone after Kamino, your expulsion would only raise more questions and distrust in U.A."

The rescue team felt a wave of relief wash over them. They had thought they were in the clear, but they knew they should have known Aizawa would figure it out. "However…" They also should have known he wouldn't just leave them alone. "...You completely went against our trust. If you fall in line and don't act up, you just might regain our trust. And as homeroom teacher, it just so happens that I believe that you five specifically deserve a harder training regiment than the rest of the class, and supplementary classes that will last until I say so once term starts back up. Just be happy you can still take the exam for your licenses. Now, everyone look lively. I'll give you a small overview of the dorms."

Izuku and Momo looked to one another, both knowing how lenient their punishment was. They could see the faces of their fellow classmates and could see how downtrodden they all seemed. Iida was especially looking ashamed.

'Hey! What're doing man!?" All eyes suddenly turned to see Bakugou dragging Kaminari behind some bushes. After a large burst of electricity came from the bushes, Denki came stumbling out in his 'stupid form'. "Hehehe yaaaaaay~."

As Kyouka, Sero, and many others began to die of laughter, Katsuki stomped his way over to Kirishima and held out a stack of yen. "Take it Stupid-Hair."

"Holy shit dude did you just mug him?"

"No you idiot! It's my own money. You wasted all that money for those stupid night-vision crap."

"Oh...Well, thanks bro." Bakugou just grunted and followed Aizawa into the building. Izuku smiled, happy that something lightened the mood. The class followed Katsuki's example and entered the building. Upon entering, most of the class was in shock to see just how big their new home was (Excluding Momo of course).

As Kyouka looked around, two hands with their pinkies up suddenly took hold of her shoulders and violently shook her. "Kyouka! We're living in a palace! It's so big!"

"YeAh I GeT iT nOw caN you PLeaSe stoP ShaKIng Me!?"

Ochako released her hold on her girlfriend and continued to gush, "Sorry! Sorry, but it's just so massive! Do you think it has working air conditioning? Or maybe a real kitchen?"

"...Where exactly did you live before this?" Kyouka never got her answer as Aizawa started his mini tour.

"This is the main common area. The first floor has couches, televisions, the dining hall, the kitchen, and the bathrooms and laundry room. The rooms start on the second floor. You've been given personal bathrooms, mini fridges, closets, and balconies. Your room assignments are all on this board," Aizawa said, pointing back to a board on the wall with room names and numbers.

Aizawa grinned, "And would you look at that. Midoriya is on the second floor and Yaoyorozu is all the way on the fifth and final floor. What a complete coincidence."

Momo and Izuku both blushed at being pointed out like that, but both could agree that it was fai-

"Hmmm. I'm not too sure about that Mr. Aizawa," Mina said, a smirk on her face and a hand on her chin.

Shouta raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

Mina shrugged, "Well those two can hardly keep their hands off of each other. They'll want to be together all the time. Every hour. Every minute. Every second. Every day. Just imagine all of the sleep and quality cat time you'll miss trying to reprimand them after hours. Think of the long trek you'll have to take from your housing to theirs. Not to mention if they're in Momo's room. Allllllll the waaaaay on the fifth floor. It would just be so tiring. It would be so much easier if you just let them be themselves. Especially since they bought you…" Mina turned around to her luggage and pulled out, "A brand new sleeping bag. So many hours you could spend in this instead of wasting your time trying to stop teenagers from being teenagers which no matter what you do you can't really stop."

Aizawa stared at Mina blankly for awhile, seemingly unimpressed by her speech. "...Yaoyorozu, you're on the second floor now."

Mina passed a thumbs up to Momo and Izuku. 'I'm the best wing woman ever.'

"But, Iida...switch rooms with Mineta. Keep an eye on the problem children."

Iida saluted and stood tall, "Yes sir!"

Mina's thumb immediately dropped back down. Aizawa walked over to Mina and snatched the sleeping bag up. "Now all of you find your rooms and get used to your new home. I have some sleep to catch up on."Eraserhead slipped into his sleeping bag, cocooned himself completely, and rolled away to...wherever.

…

"I was wrong. The piano fits nicely." Momo smiled at Izuku's words and gave her room one more look. Her ivory and gold piano sat perfectly in the front right corner of the room. The walls were painted a soft cream color with a matching bedspread on a bed that actually gave Momo space. A small portion of her personal library from back home sat in bookshelves next to her desk. Decorative drapes covered Momo's balcony door and Victorian patterns covered multiple surfaces.

"But, you were definitely right about the bed. It would have been so claustrophobic in here with the old one. How did your room turn out?"

Izuku gave a wobbly smile and rubbed the back of his head nervously, "It's actually n-not as bad as y-you probably think." The two walked around to the other side of the second floor and opened Izuku's door. "It's not too i-interesting yet."

What Momo expected was a room covered wall to wall with red, white, blue, and yellow with All Might posters and rare figure. But, it seemed Izuku chose otherwise. His blanket was the design of All Might's silver age chest piece, and his walls were painted red. The only figures Izuku had were on a tiny little shelf in the corner of the room, and the posters were actually kept to a minimum. What was odd was that none of them had All Might's face on them. "Wow...you really held back. Why though?"

"Well, now that All Might is...you know, with my mom...It feels really weird having him all around. Imagine having y-your room themed around your dad."

"Fair point."

"Also, when w-we...did stuff in my room, it kinda felt like he was watching us. A-And I'd really like to avoid that. I even added this." Izuku walked over to his figurine shelf and pulled a small string. A black blanket fell over the front of the shelf and covered all of the little watching All Might's. "See? Way less awkward."

Momo chuckled at Izuku's contraption, but stopped when her eyes caught something else. On Izuku's desk there was all of his journals which was normal. But, next to them was a framed picture of the two of them at training camp. They were cooking their curry at the dinner tables. She remembered the moment. Izuku sneezed from some of the spice going up into his nose, and the sneeze caused a giant cloud to puff up and land everywhere on his face and hair. Momo was laughing next to him. Momo picked it up and turned to Izuku, "Where did you get this?"

"Oh, Tsuy-...Tsu took that. She gave it to me while I was in the hospital." Momo looked up from the picture to see something on top of the hero journals. It was a menu from their first date.

"Is this-?"

"Yeah. I-I went back for it this morning. I remembered it had a small tear at the top, so I asked if I could take it." Momo knew Izuku was a sweetheart, but this was so much. She looked over next to the desk to see an article of clothing that she found sweet, yet...gross.

"Izuku...is that the jacket I threw up on?"

"... Would you feel more endeared or disgusted if it was?"

"I'm not sure."

"Then the jury is out on that."

Momo pinched the bridge of her nose, but was still smiling. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Break in the new beds?" Momo immediately covered her now blushing face with her hands and Izuku chuckled. "S-Sorry, I had to take the opportunity. That was revenge for your joke at the restaurant...and also a real offer." Momo peeked out from behind her hands to see Izuku barely holding his burst of confidence together. She smiled, and began walking towards Izuku.

"I'm gonna stop you right there."

"AAAH!" Both teens screamed in shock as Aizawa seemingly appeared out of nowhere and was standing in the doorway.

Once they calmed down, Shouta explained why he was there. " As much as I know I should, I'm not here to reprimand you further for your rescue stunt. Look, Ashido was right. I know for a fact that I can't stop you two from being hormonal teenagers. I can't watch you 24/7. While I don't exactly trust you two to follow basic laws, I do trust you both to be morally responsible not just for yourself, but for each other and your classmates." Aizawa turned to Momo. "If I didn't, I would have revoked your Vice President role." He then turned to Izuku, "I also probably would have just expelled you entirely."

"B-But I-...That's fair."

"I'm not going to babysit you and pretend you're children. You both can handle the responsibility of being heroes, so you can handle the responsibility of having a relationship at the same time. You both make the other better not only in personal life, but your work here. What you really should be worried about is the dangers it can bring. Now and in the future, you're both now targets for the others enemies. Anyone who hates you will go after you partner. Just watch each other's back, or you'll regret. Don't forget that."

Momo nodded in contemplation, "Thank you Mr. Aizawa."

"Now keep it in your pants. Your classmates are doing a room competition. Wouldn't want them barging in at an intimate time again now would we?" With that, Aizawa left the room.

Izuku and Momo looked to one another, both once again reminded of the dangers they have yet to face. Momo gave a small smile and kissed Izuku's temple. "Come on, we better go make sure they don't destroy everyone's rooms." Izuku followed Momo out of the room and found their classmates preparing for their event. They were now back at school, and reality was about to kick back in. Both knew that it would only get harder from here.

**A/N: ****Heyo everyone! I know it's been longer than usual but I have my reasons. I took a little impromptu vacation from writing for a week. When the last chapter was posted, it had just reached 100 days since I started writing this. So that meant 100 days of nonstop writing and late nights and such. So I decided that now was as good a time as any to take a breather. Sorry for the wait, but it had been too long since I had gotten 8 hours of sleep. This chapter is really just fluffy and wrapping up the break period. I was going to write their first date entirely, but it honestly felt unnecessary and just like filler. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. Laters fools P.S. To all those who commented about the Fallout NV reference, you truly are my people.**


	39. Brainstorming

Momo had always considered herself to be intelligent. Even back when her self confidence was shattered, her intelligence was the one thing she knew she could depend on. Well, that and Izuku of course. But, ironically, those were the two things that were making her question her intellect.

She had no idea how she hadn't figured it out before. When the idea of being in a relationship with Izuku was just that, an idea, Momo thought that intimacy would be something they would have to work toward. She thought that Izuku would be uncomfortable and embarrassed for awhile, but then would slowly become more and more comfortable with touching and kissing and such.

However, that turned out to not be the case. Almost as soon as their relationship started, Izuku was just as ready as she was, if not more. While there were some places she had to guide him to, like their night together at his home, he was only being patient due to his politeness. He didn't want to overstep her boundaries by accident. But, as soon as Momo gave him the green light he was all over her.

And it wasn't just heated moments either. Izuku almost always took her hand, even in public. During their date he had wrapped her arm around her waist and shoulder multiple times throughout. The same went for kissing her in public as well.

The final thing to make it all click was last night. The two of them had agreed to at least try and be on their best behavior for as long as they could. Which meant no bed sharing. So, each of them went to their separate rooms and went to bed.

...Which lasted approximately an hour and a half

Momo knew they likely wouldn't last long, but she figured it would be a few days at least. But, low and behold at ten o'clock, there came a knock on her door.

(The Previous Night)

*Knock Knock*

Momo crawled out of bed and opened her door to see Izuku standing there. "S-Sorry. I would have been here sooner, but uh...Iida set up a fake trap."

"Fake trap?" Izuku motioned for her to follow him and they walked over to the boys side of the second floor. He pointed down the hall at Iida's room to see Tenya himself, sticking his head out of his door, staring down the hall. His eyes were completely wide and unblinking. "Can...Can he see us?"

"No. Listen closely." Momo leaned her head closer to hear very quiet snores. "He fell asleep standing up with his eyes open so I would be too afraid to leave my room." Momo couldn't help but laugh. Iida was definitely dedicated.

Izuku and Momo made it back to her room and Izuku immediately made himself at home. As soon as the door closed he was already under the covers and was awaiting his girlfriend. Momo pursed her lips, "I thought we agreed we'd be on our best behavior for the time being."

Izuku looked at her sheepishly, "I-...I-I just...I couldn't fall asleep without you. It felt weird."

(Present)

And now, there Momo was, awake hours before they had to get up and stroking Izuku's hair as he slept with his arms around her. It finally all clicked in her head.

His instant charge and want to touch and hold her. His need to feel her with him when he slept. It all made sense.

Izuku was touch starved.

He had gone his entire life with punches and kicks being his only form of human touch. The only loving touch he received was from his mother. And, even that was probably painful at times with how intense Inko was at hugging.

And now that Izuku finally had someone to hold and touch and that person did the same back, he couldn't get enough. He was addicted.

It wasn't that Momo minded. She didn't mind in the slightest. She had every intention to make him feel as loved as possible for the rest of his life. And Izuku holding her also felt really nice, so that was simply icing on the cake.

The only thing about it that bothered her was that it was another reminder of how his life used to be. She hated-...No…

She despised Bakugou.

Her thoughts about him had only declined further and further since the beginning of the school year. At first, she simply found him tolerable if not a bit annoying and rude. But, she figured some people were just different and felt differently about how to act. She still acknowledged his amazing battle prowess and skill.

But, then she learned about Izuku's past, or at least the altered version of it. Then her opinion took a major downfall. She saw him as nothing as a bully, and an...to put it in words she did her best not to use, but Kyouka had rubbed off on her a bit...a complete and utter asshole.

And then, it all got worse and worse as she interacted with him more and more. From their final exam, to the nurse's office, to training camp, etc. It just went on and on. And now the notebooks. Izuku keeps hiding from her just how much he was suffering back then, and just how much still affects him. Momo was thankful and happy that she played a major role in the betterment of Izuku's life. Even if Izuku still had many challenges to face, his life would be near perfect now.

... Except Bakugou still hung around like a parasite. A reminder that darkness still looms in the back of Izuku's mind. Every time Izuku's confidence and self worth spikes, Bakugou was always there to push it back down. He didn't even have to do anything. Merely by seeing him Izuku has some sort of PTSD and is shocked back to his middle school days.

For some odd reason, Izuku didn't seem to realize that he was one of, if not the most, powerful student in the school. He had made the power of All Might's his own. He's had training from not only the number one hero, but the number one hero's teacher, the Wild Wild Pussycats, and Eraserhead. He (technically) won the Sports Festival. He's had a one on one fight with the Hero Killer, and according to Iida was winning. He had fought All Might himself, granted with help and a handicap on All Might, but still. He beat Bakugou's timed score at the speed event on I-Island by double his time. And then in the same night, fought through I-Island's tower and then helped take down the villain with All Might. In the following week, he then fought off Muscular and for the most part was alone. The rescue mission, the kidnapping, fighting off the league, etc.

Izuku was almost too innocent and humble for his own good. Every time she or someone else lifted him up, he put himself back down, not thinking he was good enough to be placed so high. He was getting better at it. He was far better than the beginning of the year.

But, Momo just felt he needed something, just some sort of breakthrough to make him realize Bakugou can't hurt him anymore.

He needed to realize that Bakugou wasn't going to turn over a new leaf and suddenly be his best friend and think Izuku was great.

Izuku needed to realize that Bakugou, while a great fighter, wasn't a hero. And he himself was.

"Mmmm." Momo was snapped out of her stupor to see Izuku waking up. "Mmph...time?"

"Too many hours too early. Go back to sleep."

Izuku pulled Momo in even further and buried his face into her hair. "You first. You've been awake for fifteen minutes. Although, if you get anymore beauty sleep you might break reality."

Oh yeah. Izuku was also getting smoother.

...Cheesier, but smoother.

Momo chuckled as she dug herself further into the crook of Izuku's neck. "Maybe. But I'm sure you'd still like to see it."

"Yes please."

Momo could feel sleep overtaking her again. Izuku would be ready soon, she could feel it. She can't force it out of him. He'll just retreat back into his shell. So all she can do for now is love him. And love him she did.

So much so that she didn't give a damn that he was totally poking her in the stomach.

…

"I still don't get why we have to go to school. No one else is going! Term doesn't even start for another ten days!" Mina cried out to the rest of her class as they walked down the road to the main school building.

"Well camp was cut short. Maybe Mr. Aizawa is trying to make up for that lost time?" Hagakure said next to her.

"Or maybe he's trying to keep Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum over their occupied so they keep their lips off each other for five minutes." Mina pointed to her left and to Momo and Izuku walking with clasped hands.

Momo scoffed while blushing, "We don't do it that much."

"Uh, yeah you do. You tw-...Um... What's going on over there?" The class turned to see a giant mass of other male student pile out of their respective dorm buildings and salute the class.

Mineta's eyes went wide. "Oh crap."

The class turned to him and all simultaneously asked, "What did you do?"

"Um...Midoriya... You're the one they're saluting."

"W-What!? Why!?"

Minoru began twiddling his thumbs nervously. "I...might have spread the word about you and Yaoyorozu, and now all the guys in the school are showing their respect for your great achievement."

Some of the class groaned, Izuku froze to the spot, Momo blushed and facepalmed, and some of the guys in 1-A (and Kyouka) proceeded to shrug and salute as well. Kaminari even shed tears knowing that the ultimate dream was taken, and she definitely wasn't going to be free anytime soon.

...

"No Problem Child, your spontaneous new quirk

doesn't count as an ultimate move."

Yep, that was essentially what Izuku was expecting. "Why not?"

"You obtained this quirk before we got back. You didn't get it due to training for the exam. Besides, consider it part of your punishment for your rescue escapade. Now back to work."

"You can't fault him there Young Iz-Midoriya." Izuku and the teachers present turned to the now open door of Gym Gamma to see All Might leaning against the wall.

Aizawa began to scold him, "You should be at home resting."

"Yeah, but *POP* I might not have been called in, but I had nothing better to do!

*POOF* Ahem. Besides, these are their ultimate moves. I'm not gonna miss out on this. And would you look at that. Someone already looks like they could use some advice." Toshinori walked over to Midoriya and walked with him away from the teachers. "You look lost Young Midoriya."

"Oh, w-well yeah. I'm just not sure what exactly I should do for my ultimate moves. Mr. Aizawa said we should probably have two, but I can't even think of a single one. Just punching people isn't exactly a special technique or anything...no offense. And I don't want to risk hurting my arms too much or they'll start to be a problem."

"First of all none taken. Second, about your arms... didn't you already figure this out at the Festival?"

"...What?"

Toshinori sighed, "5...4...3...2..."

"Ah! I have legs!"

"There we go."

"I could switch up my style to be more kick based! And then I could ask Iida for advice and then-"

"Good! Good, that's very good!" Toshinori stopped Izuku before he could go off on a muttering tangent and get nothing done. "And not to mention you have Black Whip now. I'm sure that will come in quite useful during the exam."

"Work further on that Young Midoriya. And don't forget to check on the support course. If you're going to be using your feet then those red shoes are going to need protection with his obsessed you are with them."

"W-What? I'm not obsessed with my shoes!"

Toshinori leaned in and whispered, "Young Izuku I've seen your baby photos. Have you ever owned any other pair of shoes?"

"..."

"That's what I thought. Okay, I need to go help other students. I can't show favoritism."

"Yeah, you're right. Besides... Todoroki's staring at us." The two looked up at the top of a stone pillar to see Shoto's head peeking down at them, only for him to back away out of sight.

"Maybe you should just tell him. I'm sure he could keep a secret. And, he's starting to terrify me.

"You? What did he do to you?"

(Back During the Parental Visits)

"And then, it all leads back to a giant, polyalloy, memetic, nuclear fusion monster, that's as biiiiig as the sun. And, it devours entire planets...And then we just shoot at it or something."

Aizawa and Toshinori both sat on the Todoroki family couch with wide eyes as they watched their student connect red strings from a picture of Izuku face and All Might's face with other random objects and pictures that Toshinori was afraid to ask where he got from. "I-...How exactly does this relate to Young Midoriya being my love child?"

"SO YOU ADMIT IT!"

"No. I was simply asking how you came up with this crackpot theory?"

Todoroki dragged his hand across his face and sighed. He clearly wasn't going to get any answers. "Just get out of my house."

"But we still need confirmation that you're-"

"I'm moving to the dorms..just please...leave. I need to rework my theories."

…

(Present)

"So good luck with that." Toshinori then walked away to help out other students.

Izuku trudged his way back up onto the concrete platform and began brainstorming again. He looked over to see Momo in her own space reading out of her book for chemical compositions. It had been awhile since he had seen her in the costume he designed for her. He had asked her if she still had her original costume, and all she had said was "I'm keeping it around for future purposes'. Whatever that meant.

Izuku hopped down to her and looked over her shoulder, only for Momo to snap the book shut. "No peeking. It's a surprise."

"R-Really? What's so secretive about it."

Momo sighed, "I have absolutely no idea. I honestly have nothing. I'm just trying to brainstorm."

Izuku chuckled and took a seat next to her. "We're in the same department there. Well, I actually do have something. I decided I'm going to switch my style up and use my legs instead of my arms. That way I can let my arms take somewhat of a rest and get a handle on more fighting styles."

Momo smiled, but then raised a brow. "As good as that is, and you should definitely do it, is that an ultimate move or just common sense?"

"Well it's... It's...Crap. Well now I really do have nothing!" Izuku raised his arms in exasperation and slumped onto his back.

Momo began stroking his hair, "Sorry. I didn't mean to burst your bubble, honest."

"It's alright. You're the genius here, s-so it's probably best you told me that."

Momo took the compliment and continued, "We can think more on it tonight. In private. I can't think in here. Everyone is being quite distracting. Momo looked up to see Todoroki glaring at Izuku, Bakugou screaming, Kyouka's jacks were making noise. And Mina was smirking at them while connecting her pointer finger and thumb together with her right hand, and was repeatedly inserting her left hand's pointer finger through the hole her right hand was making. Momo glared at her, "Very distracting. Do you have anything to turn in to Hatsume?"

"Oh yeah, I need to ask for better bracers for my arms and protection on my feet. Do you have any costume changes?"

"Not at the moment. But going with you and making sure Hatsume doesn't cross anymore boundaries would be better than sitting here and getting nothing done."

Izuku sat up and looked at Momo, "You know there's n-no stopping her."

Momo sighed once again, "Yes, I am well aware."

(8:30 P.M Momo's Room)

*Cough* *Cough* "Ugh. I can still feel the smoke in my lungs." Izuku propped himself up and took a drink of water from his glass on the bedside table. He then laid his head back down onto Momo's lap. Momo's hand retook its place running through Izuku's hair, only removing itself to turn the pages of her book. Rain pelted the window as a sudden thunderstorm brewed outside.

"Sorry. I tried to pull you back but I was too late. I guess there's a reason why Hatsume has her own personal warning sign outside the workshop." Mei really did have a personal warning sign. Any point in time that she entered the workshop, she had to clock in so a sign outside the door would illuminate and say 'Hatsume Working Inside.' It was a miracle that Izuku was still breathing after being caught in the explosion. "How's your ultimate move coming?"

"I-I'm still at a loss. I'm trying not to use my arms, but I haven't done any training for my legs yet. Iida is going to write some stuff down for me to learn from. And I'm still too inexperienced with Black Whip to use it super effectively. At least not for an ultimate move. That's not even mentioning the pain it can bring. W-What about you?"

Momo bit her lip as she analyzed her book, "I've been looking through different things to find ideas, and perhaps also combine them with my training from Edgeshot. I was thinking something to do with widespread smoke bombs. I'm not sure yet. What do you think Quirk Expert?" Momo said, poking Izuku's forehead.

"Hmm." Izuku thought back to everything he had written down about Momo's quirk. It was a powerful one. She could make anything she wanted as long as it wasn't alive. So…'Wait... LITERALLY anything!?'

Izuku lifted himself up to look Momo in the eyes. "Momo, correct me if I'm wrong...but just to be absolutely sure. Your quirk can make anything as long as it physically exists, it's not alive, and it has an atomic structure and chemical formula. It can even be liquid or gaseous?

"Well, yes."

"And you can even create a mixture of chemicals and materials? Like when you make flashbangs it contains all of the chemicals inside. Even the complicated and complex ones that are mixed together?"

"Yes. Flashbangs have a multitude of chemicals inside that are oxidized together. They're very complicated and took me a bit to get down. What are you getting at Izuku?"

Izuku looked like he had hit the jackpot on something. "Can I see you book?" Momo was confused, but she gave him her book on atomic structures and chemical formulas of different compounds. Izuku began flipping through the pages, seeming searching for specific items. "So you can make stuff that reacts with one another, right? Like say you create multiple chemicals, combine them, and then push them out of your body. They would react to one another? Can you create gases?"

"They should. I've made ethanol before which is a combination of liquids and gases. Gas is matter so I can create that. I still don't know where you're going with this Izuku." The teenaged boy suddenly grabbed Momo's notebook and began writing down a chemical formula. He then raised it up to Momo.

"Can you create this from the palm of your hand?"

"Izuku, I don't-"

"Trust me."

Momo saw the excitement in his eyes and she couldn't resist. She wasn't sure what he was making her create, but even if it was impossible to make it she would do her best for him. Momo took the notebook from him and read the formula. 'Hmm. This seems simple enough. I know the components. I sh-...Wait...is this…?'

Momo raised her palm out and up, facing the ceiling. She brought the chemicals into her hand as her skin glowed blue. Momo felt the materials all combine and exit her skin to see…

A small puff of light pop from her hand, and go away in an instant.

Momo tried again, "Maybe if I continuously use a small amount of materials to keep it going…"

*Fwoosh*

Momo's jaw dropped as she looked down at her hand. Upon Momo's hand…

Was fire.

A very small fire, but still fire.

Momo could feel the heat on her palm and the light illuminated from the flame. In fact, it was hot. Too hot. Burning her skin hot. "Ah!" Momo stopped the creation process and shook her hand wildly. She would have to create a protective lubricant next time. But, Momo still couldn't believe it. She had created actual fire.

"So cool." Izuku was needing out internally. It was a gamble, but the idea of Momo being able to create combustion was just too cool to pass up. She essentially had Todoroki's quirk! Except she couldn't exactly control the fire, and it still burned her, and it was likely far more draining on her due to fire needing constant fuel or it would die out...Okay, she didn't have Todoroki's quirk. But, it was still amazing.

Momo's arsenal had just significantly increased. She had never even thought to create things like fire or gases straight from her own skin. She knew she could create a flamethrower, but now she could simply create small controlled fires from own skin. And with training she might be able to make even more. Izuku immediately Full Cowled out of the room and came back with his volume fourteen hero journal. He began vigorously writing down into it.

"Now you know you can create matter and combustible properties and utilize them straight from the skin. You could even create any kind of gas or plasma from your body for combat purposes. Doing matter such as fire is going to be draining due to its need to constantly have fuel to keep going but maybe we could find some sort of propellant to use to and fire it off in short bursts to-"

"Izuku!" The said boy stopped his muttering and looked towards his girlfriend. "I think I need to learn how to make it safer for me to use first before I do anything big for an attack. Really this is just a handy replacement for a match for now. This might now even be any use fast enough to make an ultimate move out of it."

"Y-Yeah. Yeah sorry. It's just awesome."

Momo smiled, "Yeah. Very awesome. In fact, I think I have an idea for my ultimate move. There's no fire, but this proves it can definitely work. Thank you so much Izuku. You and your over analytical brain."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head nervously, "I'm glad I could help. Now all I need is to figure out how exactly I'm going to make my own move."

*Krrzzt*

Momo looked at the glass balcony door to see light glass through the closed drapes. "...I think I actually can return the favor."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Do you remember what I used to electrocute Muscular?"

"Oh yeah. You used your sword right? I was pretty distracted at the time."

"I only used my sword as a coil." Momo poked Izuku's chest. "It was you that really hurt him. Your lightning attracted to the makeshift Tesla coil and electrocuted Muscular."

Izuku's eyes widened, "Wow. Well, I-I didn't really control that."

Momo put her hand to her chin, "But...it seems to interact with things... strength is different…" Izuku watch as his girlfriend began to quietly mutter to herself.

'Is this what I'm like all the time?'

Momo then looked back to Izuku. "Izuku, is One For All specified as a strength enhancer?"

"W-What do you mean? That's what i-it does right?"

"Yes, but does it simply boost your strength? Or is it a power that can make you stronger?"

"..."

"That was badly phrased. Let me try again. There are strength enhancer quirks that increase muscle strength or multiply muscle fibers, so on so forth. It's all very physical and uses qualities that the person already had. But, One For All was described as unique by you and All Might. There's no other quirk like it clearly. So perhaps it's unique in its type as well. Perhaps it's not exactly just an enhancer. It's not strength that you just naturally have. You have to pull from a source. You've even said before you had Full Cowl that you were moving One For All around to different parts of your body. It's an energy that you can pull from and control at your own will. You pull energy from a source and send it coursing through your muscles, and the excess energy or 'lightning' is sent out of your body. On I-Island and fighting Muscular, your energy affected the area around you. Which in turn technically makes One For All an emitter and an enhancer at the same time."

Izuku was writing everything she was saying. He had never actually thought about it before. All Might only showed lightning when he fought against All For One. Besides that one fight, lightning seemed unique to Izuku. Since One For All became stronger and stronger with every wielder, maybe it had reached a point where it contained so much power that it simply couldn't contain itself inside it's vessel and caused all the extra power to pour out so Izuku didn't destroy himself.

Momo continued, "It's a long shot, and One For All is far more confusing than most quirks. Even its own users seem to be at a loss about it." Izuku knew she wasn't wrong. All Might and Izuku essentially had to guess about everything related to the quirk. Most answers they could give would be a simple shrug. "What I'm saying is...Do you think it's possible to control that outside energy? Do you think you could exert your power outward and use it as a ranged attack of some kind?"

Izuku's mind was going wild. The idea of using One For All as an outside force was mind boggling. It wasn't exactly crazy. After the bone breaking, visions, and new quirks, nothing seemed crazy anymore. But, Izuku did know one thing. It was exciting. "I-...I-I don't know. I mean...it's definitely worth a shot. We definitely should tell All Might about this and test it…!

*Krrasch*

Izuku looked back outside to see the storm, and then he looked at the clock to see it read nine forty-five.

"...tomorrow."

Momo chuckled, "Well you should at least go let Iida believe you're actually in your room."

"H-He went to bed a while ago. He actually upgraded. Now he has a cardboard cutout in his place instead of actually standing at the door."

"His new name should be Tenacious Tenya." Both laughed at the joke as they laid down against the pillows. Momo placed the blankets over them, turned off her bedside lamp, and rested her head against Izuku's chest.

As they rested in the dark, Izuku spoke up. "Momo?"

"Hm?" Momo hummed, sleep starting to overtake her.

"A-Are you nervous about the license exam?"

"A little. You?"

"Yeah, b-but...a good nervous. It's the same nervous I felt on my first day here, or when we went out for the first time. It's a good nervous. It's as if I can't believe I'm here. The idea o-of getting a hero's license was just a dream a year ago. And now I'm being taught by All Might in my dream school with my dream girl...Oh no this is a dream."

Momo chuckled and lifted her head to give Izuku a kiss. "No, it's real."

"Y-Yeah, you're right. Besides, if this really was a dream, breaking my bones would not have been so painful."

"It will definitely feel real on my birthday night in a few weeks."

"What's that mean?" Izuku asked with a brow raised.

"Nothing. Now go to sleep. We're going to have a big day tomorrow." Izuku grumbled in agreement as sleep was beginning to take him as well. Soon both teenagers drifted off.

…

"Are you sure we can't just...you know...pull the plug on Grandpa's life support?"

Warden Kengen turned to the Tartarus head technician. "No matter how many lives this bastard has taken, if we just decided to kill our prisoner the people would have an aneurysm. The media would be all over us and the trust we've built would be destroyed. We would be seen as no better than the villains we keep here."

"But sir, this thing isn't just an iron lung. His entire respiratory system is a mess, his wounds from his fight with All Might are still affecting, the list goes on and on. He's a cornucopia of 's an-"

"I know what it is." The warden walked over to the window and watched workers and engineers assembled the machine. "It's our best option." As they spoke, All For One was being hooked up to a modern iron lung. Sensors and monitors covered the room, showing the villains vital signs and brain functions. As technicians and engineers worked around him, nearly 50 armed men surrounded the perimeter of the large cell with their weapons trained on the prisoner. "I wonder what All Might's gonna think."

"He's coming here?"

"Next week. Apparently he's been trying to set up a visit with this guy specifically since he got out of the hospital. Whoever this villain really is, he made the world scared. And it seems All Might is scared too."

…


	40. Deleted Scenes

Next Chapter isn't finished yet, but here's a little something to hold you over until then ^_^.

Deleted Scenes #1: Training

**_...Gross_******

Izuku and Gran Torino sat together at a wooden table in the middle of the broken apartment. Alley cats still poured in by the minute. Izuku picked at his cold food. He couldn't heat it up due to accidentally breaking Gran Torino's microwave.

"_ ACHOO!" _

*_ SPLOOSH* _

Izuku watched as Gran Torino sneezed and his dentures flew right into his food. Izuku silently stared down at the bowl cold soup, now with fake teeth inside. Gran Torino continued to eat his soup as if nothing had happened. He pointed his spoon at Izuku's bowl.

"You gonna eat that?"

"...No." Izuku pushed his bowl over to Gran Torino. "... I'll just go to bed. Good night."

Izuku stood up and walked to find blankets for the couch. Gran Torino waited for Izuku to leave the room and then chuckled to himself. "Haha. I love it when a plan comes together. More soup for me."

Deleted Scene #2: The Hero Killer: Stain

**_Oh Iida. Never change:_**

The four teens looked down at the unconscious body of the Hero Killer in the rubble. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head and drool snaked his way down his chin. Izuku said with near disbelief, "We...W-We did it."

Momo began to smile, "We did. We did!" She brought Izuku into a hug to which he reciprocated. They suddenly realized what they were doing and looked at each other with a blush. But, before they could separate Tenya hugged them both into a group hug, dragging Todoroki in as well.

"Thank you so much, all of you. You saved me, and helped me avenge my brother. I can never thank you enough. You all fought amazingly. Yaoyorozu you even, as the kids say, popped a cap in his ass."

Momo face palmed, and Izuku tried to tell Iida to never say that again.

And Shoto just chuckled.

Deleted Scene #3: Dream Camp 

**_Momo's Dreams #1 _**

Momo looked up from her book to see everyone on the bus had fallen asleep except for Izuku and herself. Izuku was looking around the bus as well. He suddenly gained a strange look. One the Momo had never seen from him before. He turned to look at her. "Hey Momo, now that everyone is preoccupied we can...you know."

Momo raised a brow in confusion, "Hm? Do what?"

"Hmhm. Very funny Mo."

"Izuku what are you-Ah!" Momo gasped as she felt Izuku's hand suddenly run up her inner thigh. She covered her mouth to not wake anyone up. Izuku then got out of his seat, and got on his knees in between Momo's legs.

"I'll be quiet, I promise. The real question is, will you be?" Momo began to moan as Izuku leaned up and planted kisses all over her neck and exposed bra clad chest, which Momo didn't remember unbuttoning her shirt. She had no idea what was going on…

...But, she by no means was going to stop it.

Izuku trailed his way down her stomach and to her legs, placing small bites here and there. He smirked up at her, and his head suddenly disappeared under her skirt. But, right before Izuku could start, Momo felt a hand on her shoulder. She whipped around in fear to see Iida standing over her.

"Wake up!"

Momo's eyes flew open to see she was still on the bus, and her head was on Izuku's shoulder. Iida was speaking to Izuku, telling him that they had stopped the bus to take a break.

_'Oh no.' _

**(I actually have no reasoning for why I didn't include Momo's dreams. It just kinda didn't happen. I might go back and put these in at some point.)**

Deleted Scene #4: Dream Camp: 

**_Momo's Dreams #2_******

Momo watched Kyouka and Ochako interact across the hot springs. Kyouka was acting funny, so Ochako was showing her concerns. Momo was glad that the brunette had gotten so close to Kyouka. She was afraid that with her sudden focus on Izuku, she had been losing her best friend. Momo was just happy that Kyouka still had someone..

_*TSSSSSSS* _

Suddenly, the steam from the springs increased tenfold. Momo couldn't see anything beyond a few feet in front of her. "Girls? Where is everyone?" Momo heard the sloshing of water coming towards her. She could see the silhouette of curly hair approach her through the gas. "Mina?"

The hair looked like Mina, but she seemed taller. From the steam, Izuku emerged to stand right in front of Momo…

... Completely, and utterly shirtless.

Momo then saw a towel floating nearby...So he was _less _than shirtless.

"Izuku!?

"Hey Momo. S-Sorry about the bus earlier. I guess I wasn't as quiet as I thought. B-But...Do you wanna try again?" For a second, Momo had no control over her actions and nodded her head. Either that, or she did have control and she just really wanted it.

Izuku smiled, "I've been meaning to work on holding my breath." He disappeared under the water. Momo then felt her legs be hoisted over a pair of shoulders on either side of Izuku's head. She gasped as waves of pleasure suddenly overtook her body.

"O-Oh!"

"You okay Yaomomo?" Momo's eyes shot up and saw that everything was back to normal. Izuku was gone and all of the girls were there, staring at her awkwardly…

...And she had just moaned in front of them…

... because she had her hand under the water near her nether regions…

"U-Uh…" Momo rocketed her foot into her hands and acted as if her moan was instead a groan. "Ah, I stubbed my toe."

Mina grimaced, "Aw, that sucks. Sorry Yaomomo."

The Rich Girl just awkwardly laughed in relief that they all bought it, and sunk into the water to hide her extreme blush.

_Deleted Scene #5: Dream Camp _

**_Momo's Dreams #3_******

"Oh no. Not again."

As Momo sat in the darkness of the girl's sleeping quarters, she felt an arm wrap around her waist. "We were so close in the springs Momo. We're b-bad at this," Dream Izuku said sheepishly.

"Dream Izuku, you should go."

"D-Do you really mean that?"

"...No."

"Then...is this okay?" Dream Izuku slowly dragged his hand down so the tips of his fingers just barely slipped under the hem of Momo's pajama bottoms.

"...Perhaps." Momo didn't care that this was mostly likely just her own hand in the real world instead of Izuku's in the dream world. But, she would rather just believe it was the latter for now. Dream Izuku planted small kisses behind Momo's ear and brought his hand lower, using his middle and pointer finger and rubbing in small circled.

"Nngh...oh…"

"Uuuh." Momo's eyes shot open to see the glowing eyes of Mina awkwardly staring at her with wide eyes from her bed. Dream Izuku was gone, and only her own hand remained under the covers. The two girls continued to stare at one another for awhile. "...You didn't stub your toe in the hot springs did you?"

"...No."

"...And you were dreaming of Midoriya while unknowingly flicking the bean?"

"...Yes"

"...Yep. Okay. I'm just going back to sleep, we'll continue this conversation never. Don't let me stop you. I'll uh...Yeah." Mina slowly turned her back to Momo and put her pillow over her head. Momo draped the covers over her body entirely and curled up into a ball, banging the side of her head against the bed.

She wasn't going to get much sleep that night.

**(Oh yeah. That's why I didn't put these scenes in. These are way more intense than Izuku's dreams. I'll probably put these in their actual chapters later.)**

Deleted Scene #6: The End of the Aftermath 

**_Arrival at the Todoroki's_**

_*Knock Knock* _

"Why do I get the feeling that Endeavor isn't going to make this pleasant?"

Aizawa gave an amused scoff, "He hasn't been seen since he was given your ranking. I don't think he's very happy about it. Hopefully he'll avoid you and have just given the go ahead to Todoroki."

The door opened to reveal Fuyumi Todoroki in the doorway. "Oh! You must be here to see Shoto. Sorry, but my Dad isn't exactly up for visitors. He already said Shoto could move to the dorms. Oh, and…" She bowed to All Might. "Thank you so much for everything."

All Might waved his hand, "Ah, please. It's no trouble. But, uh... weren't you the one in the car with-"

"Nope! Not at all! Shoto! Your teachers are here to-AH!"

Fuyumi was suddenly knocked over by a crazed Todoroki. He grabbed All Might and Aizawa and dragged them into the house. He placed them onto the couch and opened a closet door to pull out a large white board full of pictures of All Might and Izuku. "Finally."

**(You all know what happens next.)**

Deleted Scene #7: The End of the Aftermath

**_I don't believe you_****_._**

"No way dude. Fuck off."

"I'm serious! She was downright the hottest chick I've ever seen! Hands down! And she's super rich too. Her personal limo driver came into the store and picked up her books." Naides Yubi sat in a restaurant down the road from father's bookstore with his middle school friend Rokuro Kubi.

Kubi slumped back into his booth, disbelief still etched on his face. "So, you're telling me that Deku, fucking Deku the quirkless wimp, he has a girlfriend. AND that girlfriend is an extremely hot chick."

"_ The _hottest. And he's definitely not quirkless, or a wimp."

"Whatever. Fuck off man. It's already a miracle that freak has a quirk, but a girlfriend now? What exactly does this so called girl look like?"

Naides shook his head, "Do you remember Momo Yaoyorozu from the festival?"

"..."

"Black ponytail, tall, could create anything she wanted with her quirk?"

"..."

Naides sighed and facepalmed, "...The girl who had her shirt open with giant tits."

"Oh yeah! Wait...No. No! No way! Now I know you're definitely lying to me! There is NO DAMN WAY that _Deku _is dating her. She's... She's...THAT!"

Naides frowned, "I'm serious dude. I'm not kidding. They came right into the bookstore on a date. And what's so unimaginable about that?"

Kubi looked at his friend like he had just grown another head. "Are...Are you serious? He's _Deku." _

"Izuku Midoriya. And yeah, so what? He was probably the nicest kid in the class. Hell, the whole school. It's a good thing that someone clearly sees something that we all ignored. In fact, we're just lucky he didn't turn into a villain when he got his quirk. We would be pretty damn high on that list, and it would have been justified."

"What the hell is the matter with you? There's only one explanation for this."

"Which is?" Yubi asked, becoming irritated.

"Deku must have the biggest penis in the world."

Naides stared at Rokuro with clear agitation on his face. "You know what? I'm done." He stood up from his seat and began fishing in his pocket for his wallet.

"What? Come on man, where are you going?"

"Home."

"What you like Deku now or something? What's the matter with yo-"

"You wanna know what's the matter with me? I'll tell you. I. Am. Disgusted with myself. And I'm disgusted at you. And I'm disgusted at Bakugou. And I'm disgusted at the entirety of our middle school...What did we do man? We bullied the shit out of someone who couldn't even fight back. We even told him to kill himself."

"Hey, that was Baku-"

"Well it might as well have been us too! We just stood there and laughed at him when it happened. And the worst part is...what exactly was stopping him? He didn't exactly have a good life, and we by no means made it better. He learned he was quirkless. What do we do? We mock and beat the hell out of him for it? We learned his dad left him. What do we do? We mock and beat the hell out of him for it? He wants to be a hero. What do we do? We mock and beat the hell out of him for it. Rinse and repeat for 11 years. We were monsters dude. What would we have done if he really jumped?" Rokuro just shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Huh?...Or do you not give a shit?"

"Hey. I never-"

"Whatever. He actually proved us all wrong. Besides Bakugou, he's the only one who in the school that made it to not just U.A, but the Hero Course. And he deserves it more than us, and definitely more than Bakugou. And he _is dating Yaoyorozu. _In fact, look through there." Yubi pointed through a doorway that lead to another section of the restaurant. In the corner booth farthest away from the duo, was Izuku and Momo on their date. "I'm trying to grow up. I don't wanna be the same jerk off I was in middle school. But, clearly you haven't changed. And, until you realize that you should change too, then I think we should stop hanging out."

Naides dropped yen down onto the table. "It's on me. I'll see you around." He walked away from an ashamed looking Rokuro. Naides walked to the front desk and gave the hostess a hefty amount of yen, and pointed to Izuku and Momo in the back. "Hey, I'd like to pay for that couples dinner. They'll both probably try to brush it off being humble and all, but tell them Naides Yubi insisted." With that he left the restaurant, his conscience a little less foggy now.

Izuku and Momo walked to the front to pay for their meals, but the woman stopped them. "Oh, there's no need. Someone named Naides Yubi graciously paid for both of your meals."

Izuku's eyes widened, "Y-...Yubi?"

"Yes. He said you would both try to deflect his offer, but he insisted."

Izuku stood there speechless, not knowing what to say. Momo looked at Izuku knowingly, and softly smiled. She softly pressed a kiss to Izuku's temple and thanked the woman. She took his hand and walked him outside of the restaurant.

**(I actually wanted this scene in the original, but I just kinda…forgot. Which is a shame because I really loved this idea. I'm probably going to go back and put this scene in it's supposed chapter later on. But, for now it goes up here.)**


	41. It's All Coming Together Now

"...You wanna what?"

"I want to try and control my lightning. Or energy? You know what I mean." Toshinori's brows raised at his successor's idea. This was definitely a first. But, then again Izuku always seemed to make everything a first for him. When Izuku walked into the teacher's lounge, this wasn't exactly what he was expecting.

"C-...Can you do that?"

"I-I don't know. But, I want to try."

"Where did this idea come from?" Toshinori said, leaning forward with his hand on his chin.

"Momo thought of it. One For All isn't just a strength enhancer. It's a pool of energy we...Or I...pull from and send through my body. I-I mean, that lightning has to come from somewhere. And, how would it be possible to pass down strength? It would make more sense if it was energy or power passed down. Like adding more water to the bucket and giving it to someone else."

"Alright. Let's try it out."

"I know it sounds a little crazy, but...Wait really?"

Toshinori stood up from the teacher's lounge sofa, "Yeah. I mean it makes sense to me...kinda. But, we should try everything right? I said I was dedicating everything I have to being your teacher, and that's what I'm going to do. Let's head to Gym Gamma."

"Oh! Uh, o-okay. Great!" The duo exited the lounge and made their way to the gym. "So where is Young Yaoyorozu? Doesn't she want to be here to see if her idea works?"

"She's already at the gym. Some of the class already went there."

"And your new gear?"

"Hatsume's working on it. They should be read in a couple of days. They're new bracers and protective soles for my shoes," Izuku said as he opened the door to the gym.

"Ah I see. And how's your new style coming along?"

"Iida made me some notes and I've tested a few moves out this morning. It's a little weird, but I think I can get it down."

"Good. Very good. Keep working on that and don't be afraid to ask for help. Now go get geared up."

Izuku smiled, "Right." He ran off in the direction of the locker rooms with his suitcase. Toshinori smiled at the eagerness of his student.

"I'm uncomfortable with how good you are at this now." Toshinori turned at the sound of Aizawa approaching him. "I don't understand how a single little book can all of a sudden make you a natural at teaching these brats."

Toshinori chuckled, "Maybe the gift of teaching has been inside of me all along."

"I doubt that."

"I'm ready All Might!" The adults looked to see Izuku approaching them in his hero costume.

"Ah, Young Midoriya. I have a few ideas on how we should try and start."

Aizawa raised a brow, "Start what?"

"Just wait. If he actually pulls this off, he'll be more than ready for the exam. Now Young Midoriya, I want you to go on top of that pillar over there and meditate."

Izuku tilted his head, "Meditate?"

"Yep. Calmly focus on your power and keep a firm grasp on it. Once you do that, we'll move on." Izuku nodded his head and climbed his way up onto the nearest concrete pedestal. Shouta squinted his eyes at All Might.

"What exactly is he trying to do?"

"Come on, just let me handle this one. Just trust me."

"Trust you? That's the closest anyone has ever gotten to making me laugh. Maybe you do have a hidden talent." Toshinori just rolled his eyes and walked up to his successor. Izuku was sitting cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed. It didn't take long for the green sparks of One For All to swarm his body. On the other side of the gym, Momo was continuously spraying out a small mist from her hands. She looked up to see All Might standing over an electrified Izuku. Momo smiled and sat down on the edge of her pillar to watch and hope it actually turned out well.

Toshinori nodded, "Okay, good. Now I want you to try and not focus on the power inside of your body, but the power surrounding you. That energy is still yours, so the connection, while maybe not a strong, is still there. At least, it should be."

Izuku sat there for nearly five minutes, but he couldn't feel anything. "I don't think it's working."

"Hm...Okay try this. First, focus on the power flowing through your body. And then follow its movements out of your body. If that doesn't work, try pushing it out of your body yourself. Maybe the stuff that already goes around you goes around you unconsciously and you need to do it yourself.

"O-Okay. I'll try." Izuku first focused in on the power inside of his body, and then tried to follow its movements. It was like what Izuku imagined how blood would feel like if he could feel it. One For All was like an electric charge that zoomed through his body in a cycled motion. The same power that raced through his hands and feet went through his head, stomach, etc. Yet, at the same time it all felt overpowering. As if he was barely able to keep his body steady before his power could overflow. But, there was something else. There would be very tiny...fluctuations every once in awhile. Izuku could feel random spasms in his power, and it seemed that with every fluctuation there was another burst of sparks coming from his body.

He honed in on those fluxes and didn't let go. A brand new sensation hit Izuku. It was as if he could feel every particle in the air around him. The hairs on his neck stood up and an unknown heat spread throughout his chest. Izuku could suddenly see the colors of One For All in front of him pulsing. Izuku reached out his hand, and took hold of one of the lights, the green one. And, he felt his arm almost vibrate with a sudden blast of power.

"Um...Young Midoriya? You might want to open your eyes."

Izuku opened his eyes for them to shoot open even further in shock. In Izuku's closed hand was a bolt of his green energy, shooting through the cracks between each finger. The gym went silent as all eyes were on him. Momo's smile grew even wider by the second. Even Aizawa's face was one of surprise. Then there was Katsuki. His expression was etched with a mix of shock, anger, and confusion. Deku's power was getting stranger by the day. "U-Uh...W-What do I do now?"

"I don't know! I honestly didn't think we'd get this far! Um...try controlling it. Move it around your hand or arm."

Izuku took a deep breath and opened his hand. The lightning hovered just above his open palm. Izuku pulled on the power and watched the small bolt of light dance around his fingers. He then moved it up his arm, and went even further as it danced all the way around his body, glowing even brighter as Izuku added more power drop by drop.

"Good. Amazing Young Midoriya. Now uh...Try attacking with it. See if you can send it into that wall," Toshinori said, pointing at the nearest wall of concrete. Izuku nodded and slowly stood up, careful not to accidentally let go of his energy. Once on his feet, Izuku began drawing in the power to is hand again. Once his power was harnessed into two fingers, Izuku drew them over his shoulder. His arm going across his chest. He focused on the power in his hand, and thought hard about letting the power go. He tensed his muscles, and shot his hand outward.

*_BOOM*_

Instead of the power shooting out toward the wall, it exploded right in Izuku's hand. He rocketed back and his another pillar, smoke following his body as it crashed into the rocks. "IZUKU!" Momo cried out, jumping down to the ground and running to where he landed. All Might, Shouta, and the rest of the class (minus Bakugou) all rushed towards their fallen classmate.

"Young Midoriya are you okay!?" From the pile of rubble, Izuku's hand shot out and gave a thumbs up. Momo, Ochako, Iida, and Kirishima all began pulling the rubble off of their friend. Once all of the broken concrete was removed, it revealed a scuffed Izuku with his costume covered in burn marks. The glove he used was now nothing but white strips of cloth barely hanging on to his hand. Momo helped him sit up and kissed his forehead.

"I-I'm alright, really."

Aizawa stepped forward, "What in the world was that?"

"I-I'm trying out new ideas for my ultimate moves. I wanted to see if I could control my external power."

All Might got in between the two, "Aizawa it's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed it too far for his first try. It-"

"That was incredible."

The whole class turned to their teacher with confusion on their faces, "...What?"

"That's exactly the kind of quirk innovation I've been waiting to see from all of you. If the problem child can do that, then the rest of you can figure something out as well. Now, enough slacking. Get back to work. Problem Child's Girlfriend, take him to Recovery Girl just in case." Momo looked like she wanted to protest at her new name, but decided to ignore it for now and lifted Izuku to his feet. The two left the gym moments later. "It's a shame that it didn't turn out so well."

"Mr. Aizawa...I wouldn't say that." Shouta turned at Uraraka's statement and looked to where she was. The wall Izuku was aiming at had a crater about a foot wide and an inch deep in it with scorch marks surrounding the outside of it.

Aizawa simply smirked at it, and walked away.

On the side, Kaminari had a look of terror in his eyes. "Wait a minute! Does this make me irrelevant!?" No one answered and kept walking away. "Guys! Guys seriously! Someone answer me!"

Up on his concrete tower, Katsuki never took his eyes off of the now damaged wall during the entire ordeal. He never knew he could hate a wall so much. That "worthless idiot" might have botched his first attempt, but Katsuki wanted to puke from knowing it wouldn't take long for Izuku to get the hang of it and have it nearly mastered in only a few days.

That wall was another few meters Izuku ran ahead of him.

…

The star couple of Class 1-A walked their way to Recovery Girl's office with Momo in complete awe. "I can't believe you actually did it Izuku! I mean, I can. Supportive girlfriend and all. But, I seriously can't believe it. What did it feel like?...Izuku?" Momo turned her head to see her boyfriend holding his hands a few inches apart, staring in between it with extreme concentration. "Izuku!"

"Hm? Wha-?"

"Are you trying to do it again right after you nearly blew your face off?"

"...What would you do if I said no?"

"I'd say you're a terrible liar and you especially can't lie to me."

Izuku pursed his lips and nodded, "All of that is very true."

"Good. Now don't do that willy nilly. I know how eager you get about quirks, and I love that about you. But, I also love your face. So I would much prefer it as it is instead of burnt to a crisp."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "...W-Would you still love it anyway?"

"Yes. But, that's not the point."

"Both of you please stop." Izuku and Momo both turned to see Recovery Girl standing in her doorway looking up at the two. "You're both very adorable, but if I get diabetes this late in life it could turn out bad. Now get in here Problem Child and Problem Child's Girlfriend."

Izuku sighed, "Not you too."

"What can I say? Aizawa's nickname is accurate. Oh, and since I haven't done this in awhile."

*_Thwack*_

Izuku hardly even reacted to the cane impacting to his head. "What else did I expect?" Izuku sighed. He entered the office with Momo and took a seat on the hospital bench.

"Alright dear, what did you do this time?"

Izuku blushed, too embarrassed to answer. Momo patted his hand and answered for him. "His quirk exploded in his face." Recover Girl nodded and looked him over.

"Well. you don't look too bad. Just a few scrapes and marks here and there. You should be fine for a quick recover." The nurse then kissed Izuku on the cheek and his body immediately healed. "Now, what exactly do you mean it blew up in his face? He didn't try to use his power in his forehead again did he?"

Momo giggled, "Oh no. He found a way to use his power outside of his body."

"I would say I hope this means no more visits here, but here you are. Go get some better equipment, especially if you're going to start exploding now."

Izuku opened his mouth to defend himself, but stopped himself. "A-Actually, that's not a bad idea. I guess I should put in another request form."

Momo's expression turned into a tired one. "Oh please not another support studio visit. I can't handl-"

_*BAM*_

The door suddenly burst open and in came Hatsume. "Did somebody say support?!"

Izuku's eyes widened, "Hatsume?! What are you doing here!? I thought you never left the studio."

"I have to use the bathroom sometime."

"There's a bathroom next to the workshop."

"I kinda blew it up. Not like that. I mean I literally blew it up. Anyway, speaking of blowing up. I heard a certain client of mine exploded and needs even more gear from his favorite inventor."

"W-Well yeah. I ne-AH!" Izuku was immediately dragged out of the room by the pinkette…

...and then she came back and grabbed Momo. "I have something for you too!"

…

It was a good thing Ochako wasn't afraid of heights.

She looked down at the ground of Gym Gamma as she floated her body through the air. She had been in the air for a few minutes and her nausea was only mild. So she would say she was doing pretty good. Ochako turned herself in the air and could see Kyouka on the ground smiling up at her. Ochako blushed and averted her eyes, careful for anyone else not to see her turn into a flying tomato. She looked back to Kyouka to see her suddenly with a terrified expression on her face...and was getting closer really fast...and she felt heavy all of a sudden...oh no.

Ochako realized she had somehow doubled her own gravity in the air. "AH!" She quickly pressed her fingers together and felt her weight return to normal. The only problem was that she was still falling from a dangerous height. Right before she hit the ground she was stopped by a...skin blanket? Ochako looked up to see Shoji had caught her in her arms. "Oh. Thanks Shoji."

"No problem. Just be careful in the real exam not to be distracted by your girlfriend."

"Wha-?! I-?! We're not-"

"My multiple ears aren't just for show. I heard a lot at the hospital. I'm not going to tell anyone, so don't worry. You two take your time. Congrats though."

He set Ochako down, "Thank you." He nodded and went back to his training spot. Kyouka rushed over to Ochako and picked her up in a hug.

"Holy shit are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just another accidental double."

Kyouka set her girlfriend back down on the ground, "We really need to get a handle on this power of yours. What did Mr. Aizawa say about it?"

"He essentially said the same thing you did. That I need to find the right feeling and pull on it."

Suddenly, a sultry voice spoke up behind them. "I know what it is." Both girls jumped in surprise and turned to see Midnight standing behind them with a strange look in her eyes. "The thought you need to focus on, is…"She flamboyantly waved her hand in the air before pointing her finger at Kyouka. "You."

"Me? What do you-?"

"Oh honey. Don't tell me that you two aren't an item. A very adorable one at that. You both just exude romance and sexual tension." Both blushed immensely. "I was told that this power first spawned during the training camp when you saved Miss Jirou here. Now tell me, what other times has this power made itself known?"

Ochako knew that there was no point in lying, so she simply told the truth. "It happened a few times while I was visiting her in the hospital, and then while I was at her house trying to practice."

"And has this power also happened when your lover was on your mind or perhaps holding you?"

Ochako pursed her lips, "Most of the time. There are a few exceptions, but I'm usually actively trying not to do it."

Midnight gave a knowing smile, "Well there's your answer. Jirou is your drive. She controls this newfound power. She's what pushes you to new heights. You wanted to save her so badly, and you awakened this ability. You don't want to hurt her so the power doesn't activate. She makes you feel loved and inspired so you unknowingly activate this power. The key, my darlings, is love."

Kyouka's brows raised high. "That is by far the corniest thing I've ever heard."

Midnight scowled, "Prove me wrong then." Nemuri handed Ochako a rock from the ground. "You know what to do."

Ochako took the rock reluctantly. She looked at Kyouka who looked unamused, but still had a hint of curiosity in her eye. The brunette took a deep breath and thought about Kyouka. She thought about how much she wanted to protect her, fight with her, do better for her, etc. All of her friends and her parents came to mind as well, but Kyouka was the most prevalent. Ochako put all five fingers on the rock, and it immediately shot to the ground.

Kyouka looked at the rock with a blush, and Midnight stood triumphant. "I rest my case." She strutted away to leave the couple alone.

Ochako released the rock in disbelief, "I-...I did it! Kyouka, isn't that awesome!?"

"Uh, y-yeah. That's great 'Chako. I-I should really get back to my training. I'll see you back at the dorms, kay?" Kyouka said walking away.

"Oh, um...okay." Ochako lightly frowned in Kyouka's direction. '_That...was not what I expected. I thought she would be...happier.'_ It seemed as soon as one problem was solved, another one immediately came up.

As goes the life of a high school student.

…

(2 Days Later)

"AP Shot!"

*_TWOOM*_

The smoke cleared for Katsuki to see a perfect circular hole through the center of the concrete wall he was aiming at. "Yes! I did it!" Katsuki stood triumphant. _'What the hell was I worrying about? That bastard can't even use his own damn power right. Deku's nothing but a-'_

Suddenly, a large chunk of the broken wall cracked off from it's home and began a dangerous descent towards the ground and directly to All Might. "ALL MIGHT LOOK OUT!"

The former pro looked up to see a giant boulder about to land right on top of him. Aizawa and the class all tried to rush forward to save him, but someone else intervened.

"SMAAAASH!" From the locker room entrance came Izuku, soaring through the air at blinding speeds.

_*KRSCH*_

The concrete was kicked to nothing but small rocks, and sparks flew off of Izuku's body turning whatever small pebbles that remained into dust. He landed and skidded across the ground. Another large chunk was still falling. Izuku swung his leg in the air, and an arc of energy shot towards the concrete and blew it to pieces.

All Might took notice of his new gear. What used to be his gloves were now long padded, insulated, gauntlets ending just below his shoulders. White cuffs wrapped around his wrist with a black line going horizontally across them, each ending at golden bolts that sparks connected and bounced off of.

His mouth guard also held those bolts, and had a new button on the side of them. The entire jumpsuit looked to have more padding and insulation on it than before, and his belt now held silver lining on the edges of the pockets and clips.

The most notable change however was his legs. Izuku had told Toshinori that he was getting new soles for his shoes, but these were much more than soles. Layered black metal and golden bolts were fit over his shoes, but it didn't stop there. The same metal layered over all of his legs up to about a quarter down his thigh, the only gaps being insulated layers at the knees so he was able to bend them. Two parallel strips of metal protruded off of the rest of the metal and went to his sides. Two Green glowing tubes and wires flowed from Izuku's shins to the top of the armor, curving off of his thighs and back to his waist.

Toshinori smiled at Izuku, proud to see his successor once again make his power even more his own. He looked up to Katsuki on his pillar, "Sorry about that Young Bakugou!"

Katsuki scowled and stomped away, "Be more fucking careful next time!"

Toshinori pursed his lips at the behavior, but decided not to speak out against it. He looked back to Izuku, "Thank you Young Midoriya. And might I say, looking pretty slick."

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh, th-thanks."

"I didn't take you for a show off Izuku." Both men turned to see Momo walking towards them. She looked mostly the same in her costume, but her book attachment was gone. On her left hand was gauntlet ending halfway up her forearm. The outer shell was made of silver and in the center there was what looked like a screen.

"I-I wasn't showing off!"

Momo giggled, "I was only joking. But, you do look great." Izuku began blushing at the compliments. "I need to catch up on my ultimate moves or your going to leave me behind." She kissed his cheek and began walking away. She lifted her arm and a small holo-keyboard activated and she began typing and searching for new formulas.

Toshinori chuckled and turned to Izuku, "What are you doing standing around for? Work those new legs into gear and do some laps around the gym!"

"Oh! Got it!" Izuku put on his mouth guard and pressed the button on the side. A clear cyan visor popped up. He then took off at 15 percent around the gym.

Aizawa came up to All Might's side. "These kids are getting more and more high tech. What happened to simple costumes like ours?"

"Well it's either this, or he breaks his legs instead of his arms."

Shouta nodded, "Fair point."

…

Bakugou slammed his dorm door shut as he made it back from dinner. Everything seemed to be getting worse and worse ever since camp.

...And it was about to get worse.

As Bakugou reached for his light switch, they suddenly turned on and Momo stood in front of him. "Dah! What the fuck bitch!? Get the hell out!"

"You need to stay away from Izuku?"

"What? I haven't spoken to fucking Deku for weeks."

"This exam is very important to Izuku. This means more to him than you know, and while I doubt you care, I do. This isn't going to turn into whatever mess our finals were. We both have a much better chance of passing if we go our separate ways."

"The fuck do you mean more than I know?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that wasn't my business," Momo said sarcastically.

Bakugou squinted at her, "...You know don't you?"

"Know what?"

"Whatever Deku and All Might are hiding. You fucking know."

"I don't know what you're talking about. You know Izuku is one of the most honest people in the world, and he's a terrible liar. Even if he was hiding something, why would he tell you of all people." Katsuki did his best to try and find a lie and found nothing. Her expression was completely blank and serious. This was pointless.

"Whatever. Get the fuck out of my room." Katsuki began walking back to his desk.

"Not until you say you're not going to interfere with Izuku during the exam." Katsuki grit his teeth and swerved back around to Momo...who was gone. "Isn't this counterproductive?" Bakugou whipped around to see Momo at his bedside table holding a stick of his deoderant. "Don't you want to sweat more with your quirk?"

Katsuki growled, stomped forward, and swiped the deodorant from her hand. "Why the hell do you think I would give a shit how Deku does on his exam?"

"Usually I wouldn't. I would normally think that you would be in such deep denial that you think Izuku wouldn't pass and your score would be miles ahead of his. But, I've seen how you look at him now and how you act. You're desperate to prove that Izuku isn't better than you. At this point you're unpredictable. I have no clue what you're going to do anymore. I'm just here to make sure. Listen closely. I loathe you with everything I have, and I love Izuku with even more. You've put him down enough, and I refuse to have you hurt him anymore."

Bakugou leaned in and growled, "I. Don't. Give. A _fuck _about you and your little prissy tantrum against me, or your lady boner for Deku. I wouldn't be in your fucking way anyway. I don't need to work with you, or any of these other worthless extras. I am better. I'm definitely better than you." Katsuki pointed a finger only centimeters from her nose. "And if you think-"

_*FWOOM*_

Katsuki jumped back as flames suddenly erupted from Momo. The fire went out and Momo gazed at Bakugou with a serious look.

"Glad we're on the same page." Momo flicked the light switch again and the lights went out. Katsuki flipped it back on to find Momo completely gone for good that time. He scoffed and sat down at his desk. He was really starting to hate her.

...Well, he already did. But, it just kept growing.

She was really getting on his nerves. She acted like she was Deku's guardian or some shit. And vice versa. If he wanted to get to the bottom of Deku's secret, he needed to confront him without the "Rich Bitch". He would get his chance soon.

…

Ochako had a girlfriend for barely a week, and yet she somehow already caused a problem that she had no idea what it was.

She was waiting in Kyouka's room for said girl to come back from dinner. She had been avoiding Ochako since the gym and she had no clue why. Well, she had somewhat of an idea of what it was. And if it was what she was thinking, this could only end in three ways.

could end their relationship

2\. It could make things awkward for awhile.

3\. Make out

Ochako was really hoping for option number 3. The door opened to reveal Kyouka entering the room. She looked over to her bed and saw the brunette waiting for her. "Oh! Hey 'Chako. What are you-"

"What's wrong Kyouka?"

"..."Kyouka closed the door and sat down next to Ochako. "You really go after what you want now don't you?"

"I spent the first few months here crushing on a boy and losing him because I waited. Not that I'm happy it turned out this way. I couldn't be happier. But, I'm not happy when you're not."

"...I just got scared."

Ochako tilted her head, "Of what?"

"I...I got scared because of what Midnight said. If she was right, and she was, it means...you love me."

"Do...Do you not want that?"

Kyouka raised her hands in frustration, "I do! I just-! I've never done this before! And I thought about what would happen if you didn't want that or if you would freak out if I said I loved you back or anything. Or maybe it would be a bad time to bring it up with the exam coming up or something. Saying I love you could mean a lot of things for our profession. I dunno. I guess I just realized how much pressure it is to have a relationship and be training to be a hero at the same time. It's like adding a whole other plate to our own. I don't know how to perfectly handle it like Yaomomo and the Greeny. Saying I love you would have made this whole thing completely real and serious...Not that I'm not taking this relationship seriously! I do love you, obviously. I'm just nervous about...Oh."

Kyouka stopped rambling when she realized what she had said. "O-Oh...Um...I just said that didn't I?"

Ochako smiled at her, "Mhm. And?"

"And... I'm okay. Actually, I feel more than okay now. I feel...great. So do you...you know?"

Ochako interlocked their hands, "Yeah. I love you too."

Kyouka chuckled, "You know, that takes a whole lot of of my chest. I don't know what I was so worried about."

Kyouka let out a large exhale. "Wow. Wow...Awesome." She let out a breathy laugh of relief. She leaned forward toward her girlfriend, but stopped herself just before. "Oh, wait. Hold on a minute." Kyouka rushed out of the room and rushed back down to the bottom floor where most of the class was still either cleaning up or hanging out after dinner. "Hey!" Everyone in the room turned to her. "I, Kyouka Jirou, am in love with Ochako Uraraka. So, uh...Yeah. Anyone who's got a problem with that can suck it. Now, I'm gonna go make out with her. Later."

Kyouka turned to go back to her room with Mina in tow, "Wait! I have so many questions! When did this happen!? Why didn't you tell me!" But her questions fell on, ironically, deaf ears as Kyouka rushed back up into her room. Neither Ochako or Kyouka was seen for the rest of the night.

…

Momo sighed as she walked back to Izuku's room after her confrontation with Bakugou. She had never really put on the intimidation act before. But, she needed to be absolutely certain that Izuku's chances of getting his license wouldn't be hindered in any way. Izuku fought tooth and nail for sixteen years to be where he is today, and he still had the biggest and purest hero heart after everything he had endured. No one deserved their hero license more than he did, and Momo was going to make sure he got it. Even if it meant conversing with Katsuki, which she hated more than most things.

Just as Momo made it to the stairwell, she was suddenly grabbed and dragged up to the fifth floor. "What the-! What's going on!" She was thrown into a very japanese style room with the lights dimmed. She knew this room. She whipped around to see the culprit. "Todoroki! What is the meaning of this!?"

The bicolored haired boy with a crazed look in his eyes locked the door and turned to Momo. "The meaning of this...is answers." He gave Momo a cup of coffee. "Trust me, you're gonna need it. Now, look around you."

Momo did as he said and gasped at what she saw. An entire wall of his room was dedicated to his crime board of Izuku and All Might with crazy writings in red pen. That wasn't it however. Box after box envelopes filled the room. "Todoroki...What is this?"

"That right there is the mail. Now let's talk about the mail. Can we talk about the mail, please, Yaoyorozu? I've been dying to talk about the mail with you all day, OK? "Mina Ashido," this name keeps coming up over and over again. Every day Mina's mail is getting in. Mina Ashido! Mina Ashido! I look in the mail, and this whole box is Mina Ashido! So I say to myself, "I gotta find this girl! I gotta go up to Mina's dorm and put her mail in the girl's goddamn hands! Otherwise, she's never going to get it and she's going to keep coming back down here. So I go up to Mina's dorm and what do I find out, Yaoyorozu? What do I find out?! There is no Mina Ashido. The woman does not exist, okay? So I decide, "Oh shit, buddy, I gotta dig a little deeper." There's no Mina Ashido? You gotta be kidding me! I got boxes full of Mina! All right. So I start marchin' my way down to Aizawa in his office and I knock on her door and I say, "Shouta! Shouta! I gotta talk to you about Mina." And when I open the door what do I find? There's not a single goddamn desk in that office! There...is...no...Aizawa in U.A. , Yaoyorozu half the employees and student's in this building have been made up. This school is a goddamn ghost town. These names have to be fake names for All Might to send to Midoriya to keep there cover."

Momo wasn't sure if her eyes could go any wider. "OK, Todoroki I'm going to have to stop you right there. Not only do all of these people exist, but they've been asking for their mail on a daily basis. It's all they're talking about! We are going to get expelled for this!"

"Well, calm down, cause here's one thing that's not gonna happen... we're not gonna get expelled…"

"We're not?"

"...because we've already been expelled."

"What!?"

"About 3 days ago a couple pink slips came in the mail. One for you and one for me. So what did I do? I mailed them halfway to Siberia."

"Todoroki...Those were our registration forms for the license exam!"

"Will you settle down and have another cup of coffee? Alright, well, fine, you know what, Barney, give her a Pocky stick, she's freakin' out." Todoroki said, talking to the black trench coated man behind him.

"BARNEY?! WHO THE HELL IS BARNEY?!"

"He's right here... oh shit…" Shoto turned around to see nothing.

"You've completely lost your mind! Alright, I'm ending this." Momo sent out a text on her phone, and a few minutes later Izuku knocked on the door. She opened it up for him and walked him inside. "You need to tell him. This is getting so far out of hand. You don't have to tell him everything, just tell him what he needs to hear."

Izuku looked around the room in pure shock and he knew he couldn't disagree. He sighed and looked at Todoroki. "All Might is dating my mom."

"...Really? So he's your dad!?"

"Well, not yet but-"

Through gritted teeth, Todoroki yelled, "Is. He. Your. Father?"

"...Yes." Todoroki dropped to his knees, and weeped with joy. As he cried, Momo patted his head and took Izuku's hand.

"We would appreciate your discretion on this please. We'll leave you to it. See you tomorrow." The duo awkwardly walked out of the room and closed the door. Shoto crawled to his white board and wrote in large letters…

"_SOLVED"_

…

"Well, that's one problem dealt with." Momo opened to Izuku's door and Izuku sat down at his desk. "Oh by the way, where did you go earlier? You disappeared after dinner."

"Speaking with Bakugou."

"...What?"

Momo wasn't going to lie to him. She couldn't do that to him. Their relationship was still somewhat fresh, and having lies wouldn't help anything. Izuku deserved nothing but the truth. "I was telling him that I don't want the license exam to end up like how our finals went. We can't risk fighting each other during this."

"O-Oh. I-I guess that's fair. I'm assuming he didn't take it too well."

Momo sat down on Izuku's desk and sighed, "Not at all. There's something else too." Izuku raised his brows. "He's catching on about One For All."

Izuku immediately shot forward in his seat, "What!?"

"Kind of. He knows you and All Might are hiding something."

Izuku sighed and leaned back in his chair. "All Might said something like that. Oh please no. He's the last person I want to know about it... anymore."

Momo tilted her head, "Anymore?"

"I-I may or may not have told him a few months back that my power was borrowed."

Momo sighed, "Oh Izuku."

"I'm sorry! I don't know what I was thinking. He didn't believe me back then, but now…"

Momo could see the frustration in his eyes and she knew he was directing it back at himself. He was tearing himself up inside for his mistake. Momo quickly hopped down from the desk and sat down in his lap and kissed him. "It's fine. It's all fine. We have no reason to believe just yet that he'll put together all the pieces. If he does, we'll deal with it then. We have much more important things to focus on right now, okay."

Izuku's eyes softened. "...Okay." Momo kissed him one more time and made her way to stand back up. But, Izuku's arms held firm around her. She smiled and leaned back in for more. Izuku leaned his revolving chair back as far as it could go to make it more comfortable for the both of them. Their tongues entered their second homes and explored. Izuku took a dash of confidence to move his hand down past Momo's waist and squeeze.

"Mmm. Izuku I should go."

"O-Oh! S-Sorry was that too far? I can-"

"No. I meant I should go because the nightgown is back in my room and I should go get it."

Izuku's eyes slowly widened as his jaw went slack. "...Okay."

They also were not seen for the rest of the night.


	42. The Exam Begins

**(The Night Before the Exam)**

Being a hero in training was an extremely stressful thing to be.

Not only do you have to juggle normal schooling, but you have to add combat and ethics into the mix. And then you have large tests and assignments based around all of those things. It was easy to become tense. Luckily, Momo had a loving and caring boyfriend to help her relieve stress.

"Oh...Mm...Harder Izuku. Right there."

Izuku gave the best massages.

Izuku's hands roamed Momo's back and pressed down on all the right places. Any knots she had disappeared while under his care. She sat in between Izuku's legs while on her bed. Her own legs were also extended out as she was slumped forward with her eyes closed. "I don't understand how you're so good at this."

"My hands are messed up. I think the extra bumps help." Momo sighed contently as the last knot unwinded from her back and she leaned back into Izuku's chest. His arms wrapped around her stomach and the two rocked from side to side.

"Aren't you nervous about tomorrow?"

"A-A little. But, we've been working really hard this week. I'm sure it'll pay off. Besides, I'll have you with me." Momo smiled and twisted around to kiss Izuku. But, like many of their private kisses, once their lips connected the first time they didn't disconnect. Momo's arms wrapped around neck as their lips lightly kissed the others. Eventually Izuku's back hit Momo's headboard and she ended up straddling his lap.

Physical intimacy was really taking its hold on their relationship. They already had it from day one, but it had built even further from their day in Izuku's old room. Sex was still off of the table. But, it was clearly in the oven and was becoming closer and closer to being done. And Momo, despite feeling somewhat embarrassed by acting like an over hormonal teenager, had made reservations. And she had clear dinner plans in mind.

However, that didn't mean they couldn't indulge themselves in some appetizers.

Their tongues clashed with one another and Momo's hand found its way under Izuku's shirt, and both Izuku's made their way under hers. They slowly moved up her stomach and cupped her breasts. Momo moaned into his mouth, and an idea popped into her head. She detached her lips from Izuku and smirked at him.

Izuku raised a brow in confusion. "What?"

Momo lowered Izuku's hands back to her stomach and took her hand and put it under her own shirt on her back. She unclasped her bra and pulled it out from under her shirt. She watched as Izuku's face turned into one of shock. "I guess I just felt like you deserve something for all of the massages you give me," Momo said with a blush. This would be another first for them. "Go ahead...if you want to."

Izuku gulped, but still moved his hands up to their previous position. Only this time there was no barrier between his hands and her breasts.

They were...soft.

Very soft.

Firm, yet squishy.

Warm and bountiful.

..._Extremely bountiful._

Izuku's hands moved in circular motions, squeezing and pressing all at the same time. Momo had closed her eyes and was making inward moans that were music to Izuku's ears.

His thumb felt the brim of a slightly bumpier area of the areola. He placed his thumb on her nipple and rolled his thumb.

"Ah!" Momo let out an involuntary gasp and bucked her hips directly into Izuku's crotch, whose member was already making itself known. After that, it was all hormonal synchronization. Momo continued to buck her hips and the two grinded against one another. Their lips reconnected as the pace picked up, and one of Izuku's hands made its way to Momo's ass to help in her movements.

At that point, neither had any real thought going into their actions. The heat coursing through their bodies were their only guide. After a few minutes, both began to feel that best build up inside of them. They began humping faster and faster as the friction felt as if it became necessary for their survival.

"Nng...Momo...I-I-" Izuku couldn't finish his sentence as his climax struck. When it happened, he involuntarily squeezed down hard on Momo breasts and behind and bucked his hips into Momo, prodding her harder than before. So, Momo wasn't far behind.

She felt her entire body tense as she felt the ecstasy of release. They both rode out their orgasms against one another, both resting their heads in the crooks of their partner's necks. Izuku broke the silence after a few minutes. "S-So that... happened."

"Yes...Yes it did."

"I-I...I-I can definitely say I'm not stressed anymore."

Momo cleared her throat, "...Me too. We should change."

"Oh! Y-Yeah. I-I'll go do that." Izuku moved his way out from under Momo. The front of his shorts were beginning to stick to him, and he could feel a warm wet spot that wasn't from him. "I-I still have clothes in here right?"

"Yeah. I, uh...I moved a few sets in here and I moved some of mine into your room. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to be out in the open like that anyway."

Izuku nodded in agreement. His blush still hadn't left his face and neither had Momo's. He opened some of her drawers and found a new pair of shorts. "I-I'll just...change in the bathroom. That was uh...n-nice." He stepped into the bathroom and awkwardly closed the door. As let out a deep breath and tried to calm her heartbeat down. Suddenly, the bathroom door opened up slightly again. "It was incredible." And then Izuku immediately closed it again.

Alone in the bathroom, Izuku leaned in and stared at himself in the mirror. As he looked at himself, he noticed something that he had been realizing for awhile. Even when he was training with All Might, or at the beginning of the school year, when he looked in the mirror he still saw the weak quirkless kid he was just a little over a year ago.

But, ever since he began talking to Momo and did things he never thought he would ever do (especially not what just happened), it slowly changed over time. Slowly he saw more and more of himself in the mirror. And now, he saw what he really was.

A well built and toned teenage boy who had amazing powers, a loving mother and surrogate father, and the perfect girlfriend.

Izuku chucked to himself, _"The Power of Boners I guess.'_

...

"So, you're really dating Jirou?"

Ochako blushed and rubbed the back of her head nervously, "U-Uh yeah. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner Deku. It just seemed like you had a lot going on."

"What? Don't apologize. That's incredible! I'm really happy for you."

"Hmhm. Thanks Deku. Now all we need is to get Iida a girlfriend."

"Do you mean besides the student handbook?" Izuku joked.

The two laughed about it before Jirou's head came up over her seat next to Ochako to look at Izuku. "By the way, if you did have a problem with it, I might've had to kill you."

Ochako waved Kyouka off, "She's kidding. Kidding...Maybe. So, is...is Yaomomo okay?" The two turned to look at the seat next to Izuku's to see Momo covering her mouth with both hands with her eyes sparkling.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so happy for you and Kyouka. It's quite frankly the cutest thing I've ever seen."

Izuku perked up in his seat. "What about me?"

"You don't count in this situation. I'm required to say you're the cutest in all other scenarios."

From his seat, Mineta overheard the conversation and shook his head in disappointment. He pulled out a list and crossed off Ochako and Kyouka's names. "They're dropping like flies. We're losing our chance Kaminari. The number one hottest in class is taken, and now the arguably second hottest is taken with the sixth hottest."

Kaminari raised a brow, "Why is Uraraka sixth?"

"Hm? No, Jirou was sixth. Wait, did you like Ji-" Kaminari's hand slapped over Mineta's mouth.

"Shut up. Never said I did. I'm just saying we all have different opinions on the hottest rankings." He removed his hand from Mineta's mouth.

Mineta nodded, "True. Fair point."

Aizawa stood up from his seat at the front. "Everyone get out. We're here." The students of Class 1-A stepped off of the bus and out onto the sidewalk. The exam building stood tall before them, awaiting their entry. Aizawa made sure all of the kids were out of the vehicle before addressing them. "Alright, this is the National Takoba Arena. It's simulated cities are similar to U.A's, so you all have at least a little bit of experience with real life environments on your side. Here you will not _try _to obtain your license, you _will_ obtain your licenses. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" The class all said simultaneously.

"Good. Now do your cheer."

Iida faced the class, "All together now! 1! 2! 3!"

"PLUS ULTRA!"/ "PLUUUUS ULLTRAAAA!"

The class turned their heads to see another tall and bulky student they didn't recognize had joined in on their cheer. A couple student walked up behind the intruder and reprimanded him. "Inasa, that was rude of you."

"I. AM! SO! SORRY!" The boy slammed his head into the ground I just really love U.A High! It's awesome that we get to compete against you guys!"

Sero looked on at the brute in a daze, "Talk about a ball of excitement. When did Kirishima and Iida have a freakin' child?" From the side, Shoto perked up and gazed at Inasa. He was about to pull out his notebook, but saw no resemblance of Kirishima or Iida. Plus, the ages don't match up. Also, Momo glared at him as soon as the words were spoken and shook her head. The kid did look familiar though.

Aizawa spoke up, "Inasa Yoarashi of Shiketsu High."

Izuku's eyes widened, "Oh yeah, I thought their uniforms looked familiar. They're one of the only hero schools to rival U.A. You know him Mr. Aizawa?"

"He seems like a nice guy," Ejirou added.

Aizawa kept his eyes on Inasa. "He's strong. Very strong. He was going to be at U.A under special recommendation and he had top grades. But just as he was accepted, he backed out and went to Shiketsu instead. He's the real deal."

Sato tilted his head in confusion, "He backed out? Of U.A?"

Asui shrugged, "Maybe his family had to move away or something." Inasa lifted his now bleeding head, and went back to his classmates. An attractive blonde girl of the Shiketsu group kept her gaze on Inasa's forehead as they walked by. She only looked away when she caught Izuku's eyes. She smiled and waved flirtatiously at him with a wink. Izuku blushed and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Momo pursed her lips and shook her head. "Another blonde into Izuku. Like we need any more trouble."

"Oh come on!" Kaminari and Mineta both grabbed Izuku and began shaking him. Denki gripped Izuku's collar and screamed, "How!? How do you do it!? You're the biggest chick-magnet I've ever seen! First Yaoyorozu, then Melissa, then that blonde villain chick is apparently into you, then you have that pink-haired wackjob rubbing all over you, and now this! How!? What's your secret!?"

Ochako felt it best not to mention her previous crush on Izuku at that moment. She might break Kaminari's brain.

Aizawa yanked the boys off of Izuku. "Enough. The last thing any of you have to worry about right now is getting a girlfriend. Now, le-..._*Sniff* *Sniff*_...Oh god she's here."

"Eraser!"

"Oh hell no! Everyone get back on the bus! We'll take the test another time! GET BACK ON THE FUCKING BU-!" A seafoam green haired woman popped up right next to Aizawa and beamed at him.

"Hiya Eraser!"

Aizawa crouched down and put his head in his hands. "UUUURRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" He stood back up, put his hands in his pockets, and looked as if nothing had happened. "Good morning Fukukado."

"Aw c'mon ya big handsome grouch. I thought I told you to call me Emi."

"And I thought I got a restraining order on you."

"Pffft HAHAHAHA! Good one Eraser! It expired last year."

"Damn it."

Izuku's eyes widened at the sight of the woman next to Aizawa. "No way! That's Ms. Joke! Her quirk Outburst makes anyone she wants laugh uncontrollably. She uses it to creatively take down villains with a smile."

Tsuyu looked to her teacher, "Do you two have a history?"

Emi answered for him. "Our agencies used to be right next door to one another. He would save me. I would save him. And eventually, a romance was born."

"No it didn't."

"Pffft! If you and I got married, it would be a household of infinite smiles and laughter."

"That sounds like an actual nightmare."

"Haha! Anyway, I see you brought your students too. You should meet mine. Come on over kids!" The class looked over to where she was looking and saw a group of students walking over to them. At the head of the group was a shy looking kid with long black hair, a girl with fin like buns on the side of her hair, and a tall boy that...looked uncomfortably like an older, freckle-less Izuku.

"Woah! It's actually U.A!" Momo saw the boy and panicked. She whipped around to see Todoroki already furiously writing in a notebook.

"You can't stop me woman!" Momo decided not to even try and turned back to the Ketsubetsu students. The teen that looked like Izuku walked up to his said doppelganger and shook his hand.

"Hi I'm Shindo. U.A's had it rough this year, right! Those hits just keep coming but you still stand tall."

"U-Uh, yeah. Thanks?" The boy continued to shake the hand of everyone in the class.

"You're all so cool. I can't wait to face off against the best of the best when it comes to the hero courses." He outstretched his hand to Bakugou, only for it to be slapped away.

"Don't bother trying. I don't care how much you talk outta your ass. Your eyes say a different story. Besides, you look like that dipshit," Katsuki said pointing to Izuku. "So I'm inclined to hate you no matter what. Don't make it worse for yourself."

Kirishima intervened with the interaction, getting in between the two. "I'm sorry for his rudeness. He's kinda always like that."

"Ah no worries. Just proof of his iron will." More students began crowding around the class, but especially around Izuku.

"You're Izuku Midoriya!"

"You won the Sports Festival!"

"Can I have an autograph!"

As Izuku was overwhelmed, the rest of the class watched. Kaminari shook his head. "First he's babe magnet, and now he's a celebrity."

Mina nudged Momo in the side, "That Shindo is pretty cute. Looks a lot like a certain loverboy of yours."

Momo shrugged, "Not my type."

"He looks exactly like your type though."

"Izuku is my only type."

Mina rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fair enough. But, that means you won't mind if I take a swing at him." Mina caught Shindo's eyes and made a tiger growl motion.

"That just makes me question how you feel about Izuku?"

"No girl, trust me. He's all yours...But if you two are ever open to a threesome, hit me up." Momo blushed at the (hopefully) joke, and Mina laughed. To the side, Mineta slammed his head against a street light as he realized Izuku had one more girl on his list of girls attracted to him.

Away from the group, Emi tilted her head in confusion. The U.A students acted as if they were surprised that the other students knew all about them. "Eraser, did you not tell them?"

"Won't need to. Alright! Get in your costumes and get signed in inside."

…

"Well that's a first!" Kyouka yelled out as the walls of the room they were in fell and the arena was open to the students. All of the students from other schools began to immediately disperse to different areas and attaching the sensor pads to their bodies.

Izuku began putting on his sensor pads, "Everyone stick together! The other schools won't be attacking their own classmates with quirks that they know how to work together with. We need to do the same."

Katsuki nodded with a smile, "That's a wonderful idea!"

"...R-...Really?"

"Fuck no." Katsuki shot off into the area by himself. Kirishima groaned and rushed off after him.

"I'll keep him in line! Good luck guys! I'll see you after we all pass!"

Kaminari then took off after them. Kyouka screamed at him, "Where are you going stupid!?"

"I don't know! I'm nervous and I need to follow somebody!"

Todoroki then ran off too. "My quirk is useless in a packed group like this. I have to go."

Up in the stands, Emi took a seat next to Aizawa. "Hmhmhm, your fly is down." Aizawa didn't respond to the fake out. "So, I noticed you had all twenty students with you. That's rare. I don't think I've ever seen you with a full class before. You always fail at least a few kids before the second day of school. You really like these kids, don't you?"

"Actually, they've been bigger pains than any other class I've ever had."

"Hahaha! That can't be true if you have them all. You really like them! That's so cute. Makes me want to marry you even more." Aizawa groaned again. "But c'mon, you know the tradition of this test. Thanks to your Sports Festival, all the other schools know the quirks of your students. We know how they work, we can figure out weaknesses, their styles, all of it. You should've told them that the exam always starts…" 1-A ran further into the arena, only to see a multitude of students throwing their capture balls at the group.

"...with the U.A crush."

"Why on Earth would I tell them that?"

"What? Are you serious?"

Shouta turned his head to Emi. "It wouldn't change a thing. One of the things U.A teaches our students is how to overcome the odds. My students know what's going down. They already know that their quirks are known. That's kind of the point. A real pro's quirk is known to the world, and they still have to turn the tables and fight villains whose quirks are unknown. No offense, but we actually prepare our students for their future. My kids will be just fine. Besides…" Shouta looked down to the arena. Mineta was catching balls with his quirk. Mina was melting them with strands of acid. Ochako was floating in the air above all of the capture balls while holding Kyouka. The punk rocker sent out soundwaves to disrupt the capture ball's direction. Izuku shot off blasts of air at the capture balls as Momo created riot shields. She completed four of them and signaled to Izuku. Her partner shot out Black Whip to wrap around the shields and held them above their classmates. "...they still have plenty of tricks up their sleeves."

Shindo scrunched up his face in confusion. "What the heck was that? His quirk was super strength that hurt him. What were those black things?"

"It doesn't matter." His classmate near him said. He grabbed a bundle of capture balls and turned them harder than concrete. He tossed them to Kido who set his targets. He threw them underground and sent them towards 1-A. Kyouka saw the balls go underground and knew what to do.

"Ochako! Get us to the ground!"

"On it!" Ochako doubled their gravity and sent them to the ground, reversing it back to zero just before they hit the ground. Kyouka hopped down to the ground and slammed her wrist amps into the ground. The ground shook and broke apart. The capture balls were now visible to the class. Mina used her Acid Veil to dissolve most of the balls while Momo used her sword to slice through the rest. Izuku and Tokoyami used their long reach to grab as many capture balls as they could and hand them out to their classmates.

Momo created an air cannon and loaded capture balls inside. "Everyone take the offensive!"

Shindo smirked, "They've definitely changed since the festival. They're defense is too strong. Let's get them split up." He cracked his knuckles and placed his hands on the ground. Up in the stands, Emi squinted at Aizawa.

"You really think you're above us all, don't you? How popular your school is, has nothing to do with this. What matters is their determination. Your misplaced confidence will come back to bite you."

"MAXIMUM FORCE!" Shindo activated his quirk and the terrain crumbled before everyone's eyes. Izuku realized what he was trying to do, and acted quickly.

"Black Whip!" Izuku unleashed his second quirk as wide as he could, and grabbed onto as many of his classmates as possible and brought them to him.

Shouta watched on and smirked, "You know what? That was probably the best joke you've done."

…

"Urg...Is everyone alright?" Izuku dragged himself out of the rubble and deactivated Black Whip. His class dropped to the ground and patted the dirt and rubble off of their outfits. Momo came up to Izuku.

"We're alright. Is everyone accounted for?"

"I think s-"

"_Do you kids even want to pass? How has no one...Wait, what's that?" _Izuku felt the wind pick up and looked over to the city district. A whirlwind of flowed through the streets and buildings with capture balls across the skies. "_One! Seven! Thirty-six! Seventy-five! One hundred twenty! One hundred twenty students have just been eliminated by one fighter!"_

Ojiro broke the silence of the class. "Why do I get the feeling that was that Inasa guy?"

Tenya nodded, "Probably. But, at least that means we don't have to worry about him anymore."

Izuku began climbing further up the rocks, "We should move before the rest get he-"

"Izuku move!" Momo jumped up and yanked Izuku down by his hood. A jumpsuited girl leapt over Izuku and landed on top of a small ridge.

"Aw. I was so close. I totes had that."

Izuku stood back up. "Thanks Momo. She would've gotten me." He looked up to the assailant. "It's the girl from Shiketsu."

"Camie Utstushimi. And you are that cutie from out front, Izuku Midoriya." Momo scoffed and rolled her eyes. "And the rest of you are all his classmates. With how chaotic this exam is, people will go after the ones they know the most about. I want to know all about the other schools and I figured U.A would be the first to bite it. So I needed to find you guys quick. I want to know everything."

"You talk too much."

Sero said, "Uh...Shouldn't you be more afraid? There are sixteen of us, and only one of you." He and the rest of the class readied their capture balls to throw at her.

"Nah. Everyone's so desperate to not get one of their weak spots taken out, you'll all get scared when I do this." Camie chucked a capture ball straight at the group. And true to her word, everyone tried to stay far away from it.

Izuku shook his head in disappointment, "Damn it. We fell for it." He looked back towards Camie and saw that she disappeared. "Crap. Where did sh-"

"Uah!" Everyone turned to see Camie and Momo tumble down from a ridge. Momo pinned her down on the ground.

"You're not the only one who knows the disappearing act. Izuku, tag her out! I have to use both hands or she'll break free."

"Isn't that a little biased?" Camie said, still with an unworried tone. "I mean, you're just going to let him pass just because he's your boy toy. Not that I blame you. I couldn't resist him either."

"Just be quiet."

"Okay. But, what about them?"

"What do you me-?" Momo and the rest of the class looked up to see the Ketsubetsu student's had finally found them.

_*Swipe*_

While Momo was distracted, Camie broke free, whipped around, and scratched Momo's cheek.

She leaped over Momo and pulled Fushigiri from its sheath and tossed it at Izuku, also scratching his cheek. Tsu grabbed the sword by its hilt with her tongue before it could hit anyone else. "Ribbet. What's the matter with her!? Is she trying to kill us!?"

Camie rushed away and Ketsubetsu began their assault. Slings, concrete, spider webs, all types of quirks flew at 1-A. Izuku boosted to 15% and did his best to keep his friends out of the way of any capture balls being hurled at them. They were back on the defensive, and essentially in a pit. They needed a plan fast.

Izuku looked around at his classmates and tried to figure out who could help them out of the situation. He was at a loss until he saw Aoyama, and a lightbulb lit in his mind. "Momo!" He caught her attention as she was creating more shields for everyone to hide behind. Izuku ran behind the riot shield and crouched down. "Do you think you can create a giant prism?"

"Momo turned on her wrist computer and began typing. "What shape?"

"Um, diamond?"

"Momo found the formula she was looking for and began unclasping the top of her costume. Izuku turned around and saw the rest of the class watching it all go down. Izuku shot his arms out and used his body cover Momo from everyone else's gaze. "Hey! Off limits!"

"Done." Izuku turned back around to see Momo holding a prism around the height and width of a bowling ball.

"Perfect. Aoyama! Get over here. We need you!"

Yuga's eyes widened, "You need...moi?"

"Yes. Hurry!" Yuga crawled his way to the duo, careful to avoid the gaps in their protection as to night get hit. "Everyone listen. I'm going to throw these directly at the other students. When I do, Aoyama is going to blast this prism and shoot his lasers in all directions. The others should be distracted and try to dodge or run. That's when we'll rush them down and tag as many as we can. Once we do, don't let up. We need to stay on the offensive or we'll be right back to square one, or worse we'll be tagged ourselves. I don't see Shindo with them, so we're safe from his shockwaves. But, we can pull something off similar to his quirk. Jirou, can you do what you did earlier and shake the ground?"

"I got it."

"Good. That will add on to the distractions.

"Hagakure raised a gloved hand, "I can blind them with my ultimate move!"

Sero then raised his hand, "I'll tie as many people down as I can."

Mineta jumped up, "And I have my balls!"

"..."

"Not like that."

Uraraka sighed, but decided to take one for the team. "I can take Mineta into the air. That way we can have an aerial assault and stick them down."

Izuku smiled, "Alright. To anyone who doesn't have speed, I'll take with me with Black Whip. Does everyone know the plan?" Izuku received nods from everyone. Everyone began pulling capture balls out of their carrier bags and crowded together so Izuku could carry them. "Alright. Are you ready Aoyama?"

"Oui!"

Kyouka grabbed Mineta by the ear and put a jack right in front of his eye. "If you touch her in any inappropriate way, I. Will. Maim you."

*_Gulp_* "Yes ma'am."

Izuku shot his arms back, and Black Whip wrapped around his classmates minus Uraraka, Momo, and Mineta. Momo hopped onto his back. Mina chuckled, "Of course she gets the first class seat on this flight." That earned her a quick glare from the rich girl.

Izuku charged up to 15%. "3...2...1...Go!" Izuku chucked the prismed far into the air directly at the students of Ketsubetsu. Yuga blasted his belly laser directly into the crystal, his laser refracting off into multiple directions. And with the crystal moving in its fall, the laser shot moved around like concert strobe lights.

They heard someone from the attackers shout, "Get down!"

"Now!" Izuku shot off into the air with his classmates in tow. He slung his arms forward and deactivated Black Whip. While in the air, Tooru gave a peace sign.

"Warp Refraction!" A blinding light shot out from her body and blinded the other students.

Kyouka landed on the ground and immediately slammed her amplifiers into the ground, shaking and breaking the terrain. Many of the assailants were knocked off of their feet and fell to the ground. Sero shot out strand after strand of tape, sticking the knocked down students to the ground. And the students who weren't hit with the tape were stuck down my purple balls from the sky. Those who managed to stay on their feet and avoid the tape began sending attacks or capture balls after 1-A. Tokoyami's Black Abyss blocked off any capture balls coming his way as he took down other students. Tsu stealthily knocked down students with her camouflage. A kid with spider legs coming out of his back sent out webs from his mouth. Right before they could land on a few people, a blaze of fire burned them to cinders.

Mina's eyes widened, "Todoroki?! When did you get here?"

The blaze shrunk to reveal the fire coming from Momo. She smiled at her female friend, "Sorry to disappoint." A small group of assailants charge at Momo. Momo quickly spread out her arms.

*_TWOOM*_

A large cloud of smoke suddenly exploded from her body. The attackers stumbled around, not being able to see in the gas.

*_Beep* *Beep* *Beep*_

Two of the students in the smoke looked down to see all of their weak point sensors flashing. From the other side of the cloud, Momo hopped out and smiled. '_A combination of my training with Edgeshot and my quirk: Human Smoke Bomb!"_

As other students began charging the group, everyone in 1-A took each one of them down. Soon, no more attacks were being thrown and all other students besides 1-A were down. Mina jumped up and down, "Alright! Free passing scores for everyone!" A student on the ground next to her groaned. "Oh, except you guys. Sorry."

Izuku smiled as his plan had worked. He pulled out a capture ball and began looking for someone to get out. He managed to get one student, but the rest were being taken by his friends. "Rrgh. C'mon." Izuku heard grunting coming from being a large pile of rocks.

'_There must be someone who got stuck behind there." _Izuku hopped his way over to the rocks and walked around them to find…"Momo?" Momo was stuck against the rocks under long strands of Sero's tape. Only one of her arms was free.

"Oh, hey Izuku. I accidentally got in the way. A little help?"

"Oh, sure." Izuku walked up to her and began taking down the strands of tape, but was stopped as her hand caressed his slightly bleeding cheek from his cut.

"Oh? Blood. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I-I'm alright. You know for a fact I've had much worse."

"Still, maybe I should kiss it better."

"I'd like that…" Momo leaned in, but was stopped by a small beep, "...by my real girlfriend."

She looked down to see Izuku pressing his capture ball to her weak point sensors He kept going until she was completely out. "Izuku!? What are you doing?"

"There are literally _millions _of ways that Momo could get out of that tape. Not to mention Momo would create a bandage to put over my cut instead of kissing during an exam. And, she's far too agile and quick to be caught by Sero's tape. So, you wouldn't happen to be from Shiketsu would you?"

"Momo" began to liquify and melt before him. "You knew that, yet you still were helping me. And, it was for your own advantage"

"Whether it helped me in the exam or not didn't matter. I would have helped you anyway. I couldn't just leave you there."

"Interesting. Very interesting. I wish I had the time to know you better." From the goop came Camie...completely naked. Luckily goop was still covering her important bits.

"Ah! Where'd your clothes go!"

"No exceptions? None at all? I see, you see someone in need, and then you act." Camie shot forward and was about to lick his cheek, but was pulled back by more tape. She turned around to see Momo sending out tape from her arm like Sero. She then created a blanket and threw it over Camie. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like the first woman he sees naked be me."

"...I-Is that the best line you had?" Izuku said with a heavy blush.

"Yep." Camie suddenly yanked free from the tape and sat on a rock with the blanket draped over her naked body.

"It is too bad. Things were getting really good." Camie flipped away out of sight.

Momo walked up to Izuku and took his hand, "You _really _have terrible luck with blondes."

**A/N: This took a bit longer due to writing an IzuMei One-shot. Go ahead and check it out if you like IzuMei too. ^_^**


	43. What Is the Matter With Everyone?

**A/N:Yeeeaaah Todoroki and Inasa's feud is mostly off screen. I just couldn't find a way to make it different or more interesting. It just didn't matter in the long run.**

Toshinori gazed into the mirror at himself. For the first time in nearly 25 years, being in his hero costume felt odd. It was also the first time in years he had been out of costume for more than a week. He hadn't worn one his outfits since Kamino. As he looked at himself in his silver age costume, not being able to fill it out anymore, it was weird.

...But, also satisfying.

Retirement was a strange ordeal. Toshi couldn't help but miss the feeling of soaring through the air just by jumping, or being able to lift a skyscraper on his back.

_*Puff*_

He popped into his buff form and looked at himself, holding onto it as long as he could. He locked onto his shadowed face.

This was his life.

_All Might _used to be his life.

There was no slowing down, no breaks. It was all he ever knew. From the age of 15 when he chose his hero name, it was the name he knew himself as.

_*Pop*_

He shrunk back down and looked at himself once more. But now, after all this time, he was Toshinori Yagi: The Retired Pro. And he liked it.

He used to dread the idea of retirement.

But now, it was one of the happiest phases of his life. For starters, he didn't have to run out the door at any given emergency anymore, and not living alone anymore was a definite plus. He could now, and does, have a romantic life. And he could have a family.

There was never a rule or anything against a hero having a family, it was simply far more difficult to have one. All Might was gone, and Toshinori remained. And he was perfectly happy with that.

Toshinori opened up the door to the bathroom and walked into the kitchen. Inko sat on the couch watching the news. She heard Toshinori and turned her head to greet him, but saw him in his costume. "Oh! Well that's new...Wait. Does it count as role-play since you're actually All Might?"

"Wh-? I-? That's not why I'm dressed in this!"

"Oh, sorry."

"...You really have a secretly sexual mind."

"It's been 16 years since I've had a relationship. Give me at least a little bit of a break.

Toshinori raised his hands in defeat, "Fair enough. But, I have a...meeting to attend, and it feels more appropriate to wear this. It's at Tartarus."

Inko's eyes widened, "Tartarus? Are you sure that's a good idea? You're the one that put half of its population in there. What if they all go haywire when they see you?"

Toshinori smiled and leaned over the back of the couch to give Inko a kiss. "I'll be just fine. No one's ever escaped Tartarus before, and that's not going to change now."

"But what about the villain from Kamino?"

"That's... actually who I'm going to see."

"Toshi!"

"I know. I know. Calm down. It's fine. But this is a conversation I need to have. Apparently he still hasn't healed from our fight, so he won't be moving around all that much. Not to mention all of the restraints on him and the weapons surrounding him. Nothing's going to happen, alright?"

Inko still looked hesitant, so Toshinori walked around the couch and sat next to her. "Hey, you know I wouldn't do anything to give any of this us, right? If there was actually anything to be scared of, I wouldn't touch that place with a ten foot pole. In fact, I would just pack everything up and move us all to America if I was scared. Lucky for us, we could get into I-Island at anytime with just a phone call."

Inko giggled, "Okay, I get it."

"I'm not even going to bring up the fact that I'm pretty sure if anything tried to endanger Izuku, Yaoyorzu would make any villain run away with their tail between their legs. That phrase is literal depending on the villain."

Inko laughed again, "Okay. Okay. I trust you. Just come back in time for Izuku's celebratory dinner when he gets his license." Toshinori nodded and felt his phone vibrate, signalling him of Tsukauchi's arrival outside. He kissed Inko goodbye and exited the apartment with a large oversized coat over his costume to not be recognized.

Yeah, retirement was great.

...

Izuku sat down in the seat next to Momo in the waiting room for the students who passed or failed the first round. He passed her a cup of water and food from one of the tables. "Oh, thank you. Here, have some."

Izuku smiled and pushed the plate back to her, "I'm fine. Besides, you need it much more than I do." Momo relented and leaned on Izuku as she ate. Izuku chuckled, "What happened to the perfect posture when dining?"

"I'm much too tired to be polite right now...And I need to make sure people realize you're taken. And by "people" I mean her." Izuku looked up to see Camie, fully clothed this time around, at the food table. The blonde looked up at Izuku and waved.

"Y-Yeah, fair point. It's weird though. She's very... bold, but I'm fairly certain relationships are band at Shiketsu."

"Perhaps it's only relationships within the school. She might've been looking for a long distance boyfriend."

"Maybe. But, it's still definitely one of the oddest interactions I've had in the past year."

Momo nodded, "It's still not weirder than how Todoroki was acting the other ni-" As if on cue, Shoto suddenly appeared behind the two and wrapped one hand around either of their shoulders. He put his face in between theirs and brought them all together. "Todoroki!? What are yo-"

"Shshshshshsh. Look at him."

Izuku darted his eyes back and forth. "U-Uh...Who?"

"Shindo. He just walked into the room." Both began turning their heads to look at Shindo, but were pushed back to looking forward. "Don't look at him."

"But you just said-"

"Bupbupbupbup, shush. I think I've figured it out."

Momo closed her eyes and scrunched up her face, "Oh please no."

"Look at him. He's a pretty boy, yet plain. He has wide, yet sharp eyes. That curly hair and his height. I understand now."

Izuku sighed, "No he's not my long lost brot-"

"He's your son."

"...You know what? Now I'm actually interested in what exactly you mindset is on this."

"He came from the future and is here to make sure you both pass the test so the timeline is corrected."

"But, he has brown hair and eyes."

"Black plus green."

Momo pursed her lips, "I'm not sure that equals brown."

"Eh, quirks make all kinds of special hair colors. I mean look at me."

Izuku raised a brow in confusion, "But his quirk has no relation to ours."

"Midoriya, you literally crap out different quirks and powers by the week."

Momo shook her head, "Is it weird how we're not even bringing up the 'time travel' wedge in this story?"

Todoroki scoffed and stood back up. "Whatever. I solve one case, and now you try and keep more from me. You're nothing but a couple of chumps. C'mon Barney, let's go." He said, signalling to his trench coat clad partner. As he walked away, Momo and Izuku both looked at one another.

Izuku said, "I-I'm starting to get really worried about him. Telling him the truth didn't seem to fix him. He also still seems to think that someone named Barney actually exists." As Todoroki walked away, he accidentally bumped into somebody.

"Oh, excuse m-" When Todoroki looked up at who he ran into, it was Inasa. But, for once he didn't look happy. He was actively scowling down at Shoto, and then walked away without a word. "...It was an accident." Shoto's words fell on deaf ears. He had never seen someone so angry at being slightly bumped into...Well, except Bakugou. "Did I offend you or something?"

Inasa stopped and spoke without turning around. "Nah. Sorry, you'll have to forgive me. It's just that you're Endeavor's child. I may hate all of you, but you got his eyes." Inasa walked away after that, not saying another word.

Todoroki's mouth gaped open. That was definitely a first. Usually people thought it was cool that he was the child of a top pro (except Bakugou…again), but to have someone resent him for the man he too hated…

"Hey-"

"Outta my fucking way IcyHot." Katsuki pushed his way passed people and towards the food table.

Kirishima followed him an sheepishly turned back to Shoto. "Sorry Todobroki, he's not in a good mood...again." Katsuki grabbed a bottled water and began moving towards an empty corner, but not before seeing Izuku and Momo in their chairs.

He trudged his way passed them and spoke without looking at them. "You already passed. Tch, of course you did with that borrowed power of yours." Izuku and Momo both didn't look up at him. The less they reacted to it, the more believable it would be that they had no idea what he was talking about. "And would you look at that, you didn't see me the entire time. You fucking happy now Ponytail?"

"The test isn't over yet."

Before Bakugou could respond, Kirishima caught up again and began lightly pushing him away. "Sorry about him. He's just cranky because he was turned into a flesh blob."

"Don't tell them that!"

"Alright, alright. Let's just calm you down buddy." The two walked away from the couple, leaving them to worry over what happened.

Izuku slid down in his chair, "It's over for me. He's gonna figure it out and then I'm dead."

Momo patted his head. "You'll be just fine. No matter what he knows, he won't say anything and he can't do anything to you."

"H-He could do a lot of things to me."

"Nothing against the rules. He doesn't physically act out against you anymore. He knows if he did, whatever "clean" record he has will be ruined. He also knows he can't beat you."

"U-Uh-"

"He. Can't. Beat you. I wish you could realize that." Momo took his hand in hers. "I just don't understand him. How can one minute you be a confident leader out in the field, yet the next minute he makes you feel this way. He acts so crude and angry, yet look at him." Izuku turned his head over to where Momo was looking. Bakugou was being swarmed by Kirishima, Kaminari, Mina, and Sero. "People still actively want to be his friend. Even you did, and still do. I just don't understand."

Izuku bit the inside of his cheek at Momo's words. '_She really hates him, doesn't he?'_ The entire time Momo spoke about him, a look of near disgust graced her features. "W-Well, he has this aura around him. You can't deny his strength, confidence, and tenacity."

"Those things can only go so far. Or, at least is should. It's almost like Endeavor. He might be the number one hero by default, but he'll never be what the people need. No one has been, and no one will ever see him as their hero and leader. He might be strong, tenacious, and confident in his abilities, but being a bad person won't get him anywhere. But, that doesn't seem to be the case for Bakugou. No matter what he says or does, he still attracts people to him."

That...Izuku didn't have an answer for. Even in middle school Katsuki had no problem with expressing just how much he didn't like or care about his lackeys. Yet, they still kissed the ground he walked on. "We know a lot more about him than they do."

"That shouldn't matter. If Kirishima knew about everything he's done, he wouldn't exactly be seeing eye to eye with "Bakubro" anymore."

Izuku furrowed his brow with worry, "You're...not gonna tell Kirishima or something, right?"

"What!? No of course not. I'd never do that to you. I just...I just wish there was some kind of consequence for his actions."

"I...I know the feeling. B-But I'm afraid you're letting your dislike for him consume you."

Momo bit her lip, "Izuku...I'm not the one you should be afraid of being consumed."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you ever heard about how frightening it is when the nice kid finally snaps? Well, when the nice kid bottles all of his emotions and never gets mad, it builds up. They don't say anything about the words thrown at them, they let people walk all over them and take them for granted. One day, the pressure will finally explode out and cause them to do things they would never do normally. Izuku, I think it's going to happen to you."

"W-What? I-I don-"

"Izuku, you bottle things up more than anybody. You've been bottling up your emotions since you were four years old. You've already caused a bit to slip out before. The most obvious example is when you punched Bakugou during the finals. I want you to tell me things when you're comfortable doing it, but it's almost like he's the cork to your bottle."

"I-I don't want him to get in trouble."

"So he doesn't deserve it?"

"W-Wel-...No, I-...It's complicated."

"I know. Whether he deserves it or not doesn't matter to you. Holding grudges and revenge isn't a part of your coding. And I love that about you. But, you're not venting properly. Saying minor details every once in a while won't help in the long run. You don't want to worry about what the school will do him, but at this rate you might be the one to deal out punishment. Whether you intend to or not. Deep down, you've locked away the part of you that's furious, and frustrated, and hates how unfair it all is. And every passing day he grows stronger. One day you won't be able to control yourself. I've done everything I can to stop it, and I'll continue to do so. But, it's up to you to make the effort to talk to me about these things. I can't force you, nor do I want to force you. I just want you to realize that you're not alone anymore, and he shouldn't have any influence on your actions or behavior. He has no remorse for his actions. He's not aware of what he really is. And he certainly, by no means, cares. So if you break, I will do everything in my power to stop you, but don't expect me to be sorry for whatever you do to him.

With that, Momo got up to throw away the food left on her plate. Izuku sat in awe at what had just happened.

Was that...their first argument?

He couldn't exactly call it an argument since they weren't mad at one another, and they didn't exactly disagree on anything. But, it sure felt like they were on opposite sides. Izuku was still worried about her distaste for Katsuki. Whenever he was brought up or around, she acted different. Not by much, but when it came to Bakugou she became... colder.

Izuku also couldn't help but feel guilty. He had already promised her to tell her things, and he hadn't broken that promise. It was just that he hadn't fully fulfilled it yet.

He planned to...someday. It was just hard to talk about. No one ever really wanted to go into deep detail about their depressing past. Being in a fresh relationship didn't have any right times to simply come out and say "Hey, by the way, I had a metric ton of issues that still somewhat haunt me to this day. So when do you wanna go out next?"

He was just happy their connection hadn't been damaged yet. Out of all the things connecting them together, it was the one thing Izuku was still holding onto. Izuku just felt lucky that she was so understanding.

It was just a shame that he was the one pushing her to feeling like she had to take action.

And once again, and by "once again" that meant for the billionth time, she was right.

After he was told to jump, their first battle training, breaking his hands, hitting him during the exam. Each time the burning hole in his core got hotter, and each time Izuku acted out more violently than the last.

Katsuki was gambling and he didn't even know it.

And so was Izuku.

He had been spending so much time trying to get a handle on his quirk, that he didn't even think about getting even the tiniest handle on himself. And if he didn't work on it soon, it could strain the relationship that he already thought was a miracle he had.

Momo dumped her scraps in the garbage and sighed as she put the plate down on the side table. She did it again. She went right back to shoving Izuku out of his comfort zone, and now he might put even more locks on his past. She also knew Izuku was right. Her anger was changing her.

She peaked when she essentially threatened Katsuki. Looking back, she felt almost ashamed. She acted like some thug threatening someone for his boss. Katsuki just infuriated her to no bounds. It was almost as if she was trying to be angry for Izuku; fill in the gap that he should be filling. Izuku was so pure it was incomprehensible. She was trying to be angry for him because she didn't understand how someone couldn't be furious in that situation.

The two reconvened back at their seats and sat in silence. As the last passing group came in, the televisions turned on and began explaining their next activity. The two could hardly pay attention to the screens with what was on their minds. As the screens turned off so the students could enjoy their break until the rescue portion of the test, the couple turned to one another and both simultaneously said, "I'm sorry."

Momo let out a soft chuckle, but continued. "Izuku, I shouldn't be pushing you. I'm so sorry. I just care about you so much, and he makes me so mad. I just-"

"N-No. It's okay, really. I know I don't exactly make i-it easy for you. And, it's not easy for me either, but…Tonight.

"Hm?"

"Let's talk...tonight."

Momo raised her brows, "Really?"

"I've been holding back for too long. Maybe it w-will feel...nice to finally get it all out. You deserve to know."

Momo took his hand again. "Okay. Only if you're sure."

"Oh I'm definitely not. But, I haven't been completely sure of anything for years. So I'll trust your judgement instead." Momo giggled and leaned in. Just before their lips met, Izuku was suddenly yanked from his seat and was being shaken by Kaminari and Mineta.

"You Pervy hornball!"

"W-What!?"

Kaminari smashed Izuku's face together and got nose to nose with him. "Sero and Mineta saw that chick come out behind the rock naked and covered in a strange goo! How dare you! You already get the hottest girl in the school, but then you get a mistress!"

"You're getting i-it all wrong! It was a part of her quirk!"

Mineta pointed over his shoulder, "Oh yeah? Then why is she still waving at you!?"

"Wait, really?" Izuku turned to see Camie had been waving at him for the past ten minutes. "At this point I'm just afraid she has mental problem."

Momo managed to pry Izuku from their grasp and get between them. "Boy, this is no way to act in public. Nothing happened. I was there, I know."

Mineta squinted his eyes, "Oh? You were there? I see. You couldn't stand the idea of your boyfriend with someone else. So you joined i-"

*_KKRCH*_

The walls of the waiting room suddenly collapsed, and the next round of the exam started.

_"Hope you're ready! Next round: Begin!"_

…

"What the hell is that?"

Toshinori gazed through the glass window outside of All For One's cell to see metal wires and tubes all around the cell. The villain resided inside of a black metal tube with lights and buttons covering the side, an oxygen mask covering his face. The warden stood next to All Might and answered. "Well, we don't really have a name for it yet. But, it's essentially one large bionic lung."

"And you made this for him because…?"

"We felt it necessary that we keep him alive. Simply allowing our prisoners die wouldn't go over well with the public. Is...that an issue?"

Toshinori sighed, "No. No, you did the right thing." For once, the life of the villain was out of his hands. But, he still couldn't be rid of him. "Is he awake?"

"Not at the moment, but he'll wake up if you call for him. Remember, no touching him or trying to purposely anger him in anyway. He can't move in there, at least not much. But, we'd like to make sure he doesn't try anything. We'll be monitoring you the whole time, but as requested from the higher-ups we'll keep the conversation private."

"Understood." The warden turned and nodded to one of his officers. The guard pressed a button and the layered metal door opened up. Toshinori walked in and took a seat directly in front of the metal container. Toshinori opened his mouth to speak. "Wa-"

"I wondered when you would show." Toshinori closed his mouth and frowned. All For One, for lack of a better phrase, sounded like he had been smoking 50 packs a day for the past thirty years. "Too busy with retirement life? Having a woman and child can be tiring work."

"I'm not here for small talk."

"Forgive me. I've spoken so little in the past few weeks it's driving me mad."

"More than usual."

"Hehe _*cough* *cough* _You still use those dull remarks. How...amusing. Perhaps you would like to talk about Young Tomura."

Toshinori leaned forward, "Where is he?"

"How would I know? I've been here. And as you can see, I can't exactly leave."

"You're telling me you didn't have a backup location or way to keep in contact with one another?"

"Well it doesn't matter what I tell you. You wouldn't believe me anyway. He'll likely stay in hiding and expand the organization. But if you want specifics, no I don't know. His business is his business. You see, that's the difference between you and I."

"There are many more than just one difference."

"I _taught _Tomura. I held his hand until I believed he was ready to try on his own. And now, after years of raising him, it's his turn. He must prove himself. You however found a successor and threw him to the wolves. And now you're gone, and he has no real teachings to look to now that it's his turn. Oh how eager you must have been to bed his mother."

"Enough! You might've left Shigaraki on his own, but not without a plan. What is it!?"

_*KRSHZ* "All Might, we're going to have to ask you to calm down."_

"Oh? Is that desperation I hear? Tell me, even if you do find him, what exactly do you plan to do? Tell him all about how his father was abandoned? Or perhaps you want to find the goodness in his heart? This isn't a movie old friend. His hatred is more than justified in his mind, and he's eager to follow in my footsteps."

Toshinori leaned back in his chair, but All For One continued. "Or, maybe you want to find meaning in your new life. You have no power. You have no one to save because you can't even take a brisk jog without coughing up a lung. Now you have nothing to do but sit and watch, and saving Young Tomura will ease your mind, instead of watching the evil of this world you fought consume everything for the rest of your days. How does that sound?" Toshinori shot out of his seat, and stood as close as possible to All For One. He gazed up at the villain with a stern expression. Not anger like All For One was expecting.

_*KRZCH* "All Might stand back!"_

"Dead wrong."

"Hm?"

"These days, I've found more meaning to my life than I ever have. A life that you planned for Shigaraki to take from me. Isn't that right? You couldn't pass up the idea of having someone with the blood of my master killing me and my successor. And then you found the idea of my son doing it even better."

"Son? Hahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHA- *_Cough* Urgha *Cough* *Cough*_ So, it seems he told you about all that."

"No. You just did." All For One raised what used to be his eyebrow. That was the first time someone had ever used that against him. "Well, you listen to me and you listen good. I. Will. Not. Die. Whatever future believe you have, will never come to fruition."

"You reall-urrgh!" Toshinori grabbed onto one of the tubes connected to the oxygen mask and clamped down on it.

"_All Might, enough!"_

"Shigaraki won't kill me. He won't kill Izuku. He won't kill Inko."

The door to the cell opened and a dozen guards charged in and trained their guns on All Might. "Stand down All Might!"

All For One smiled as he barely wheezed out, "Still on the edge about killing me? It won't do any good. *_Wheeze* _You and everyone else continue to live in fear of me. *_Wheeze* _I am the mold that every villain will try to fit. Every villain, every threat, every newborn child brought into this world with a quirk, will always be given the same thought. _*Wheeze* _Will. They. Be. Like. Him? Killing me will do nothing. *_Wheeze* _If anything, it will free me more given my predicament."

"I'm not going to kill you."

"Last chance All Might. Please stand down!"

Toshinori released the tube and All For One began coughing uncontrollably. "You're going to watch as your premonitions fall before you eyes. Or whatever's left of them. Toshinori swished around and began walking out the door.

"I will smash your future until it's nothing but dust. And I'll be the one watching as it follows you to Hell."

…

Izuku had never thought that he would ever have to ask the question, "Is that a kid, or just a very small man?" Momo nudged Izuku in the side. "Oh, right. Sorry. Don't worry citizen! We are here!"

A small child(?) underneath some rubble yelled out, "Yeah you're here! Standing there doing a butt-load of nothing! Docking points!"

"U-Uh, right!" Izuku quickly threw off the rocks and picked the child up. "You're going to be just fine. Momo, he's got scraped knees!"

"I'm on it!" Momo created a roll of bandages and wrapped them around his joints. "Don't worry little guy. We'll get you to help and find your mommy. Alright, get him to the Health Center."

The actor raised his brows impressed. "Hey, you two actually aren't that bad at this. You even got the parent card down before I could even mention it. And a pretty girl to calm me down and balance out the profuse sweating of this kid."

"I-I'm sorry I'm a naturally nervous person."

"Either way, well done. Add points. Now, get me to safety before I dock more!"

"R-Right! Sorry!"

"Stop saying you're sorry!"

"Okay!" Izuku zipped off to the pretend emergency center and came back in a matter of seconds; the two went back on the move. "I'm lucky you're good with kids."

"I'm sure you're great with children. Real children. Not small men pretending to be children."

"The last child I was in contact with punched me in the scrotum."

"Kota had issues. He doesn't count." Things had actually been going really well. The class decided to split up to cover more ground, and some quirks worked better in different areas. Izuku did have a bit of a hurdle with the first child they came across, but he got the hang of it quickly. This half of the exam was far easier than the first ha-

*_BOOM*_

Momo slowly turned around to see Gang Orca and his minions burst through a hole in the area. Momo furrowed her brow. "I've seen a lot of things today that I didn't expect to see. A boy that looks a lot like Izuku. A boy that smashed his head into the ground. Mr. Aizawa panicked by a woman. A girl that melted her clothes right in front of me, who was also my clone for a second. But a whale man in a suit and cape with tons of minions...this takes the cake."

…

Aizawa pursed his lips, "Fighting villains while also having to save bystanders is something even pros have trouble with. They really are getting intense. But, I guess that's what happens when the number one hero retires."

"..."

Shouta was met with silence from Ms. Joke, which never EVER happened. He turned his head to see her texting on her phone. "Sorry Eraser. I'm just checking in on my sitter. I just gotta knew kitten and I didn't want to leave her all by herself."

Shouta's eyes widened, "You...like cats?"

"They're so adorable! And they can't boo my jokes." Shouta suddenly pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and began writing. "Hm? Whatcha writin'?"

"A pros and cons list."

_Pros:_ _Likes cats. Very Pretty. Good hero._

_Cons:_ _Annoying. I hate her. Annoying. Wears bright colors. Annoying. Smiles too much. Annoying. Makes terrible jokes. Annoying. Gives me ulcers. Annoying. __**ANNOYING**_

"Hm...This is a tough call. I'll have to think on this." Emi tried to lean over and see what he was writing, but Shouta crumpled up the paper and leaned back. _*HISS!*_

…

"Midoriya! Yaomomo!" The couple turned to see Tokoyami, Mina, and Ojirou coming towards them.

Momo turned to greet them, "Oh, you made it back. Where are the others?"

Mina answered, "Tsu, Ochako, and the others are still helping with the rescue. Our quirks are more for combat, so we came to back you up."

"Good. We need two teams. Rescuers and fighters. Hold a line here. Make sure the minions don't get any further."

"Got it!" The three ran off and to fend off the villains.

"Help! Help me!" The couple turned around to see a short old man stumbling along the rubble behind them.

Izuku began walking towards him, "I'll get him to the emergency care center. Go ahead and start attacking."

Momo nodded and ran off towards the chaos...only to see the chaos had gotten even worse. A half cement-covered Todoroki and Inasa were bickering with one another as Gang Orca stood only a few meters in front of them, and Shindo was paralyzed in the ground nearby. Shoto's flames were getting caught in Inasa's flames and were flowing everywhere. "Oh dear."

Suddenly, the flames were flung right towards Shindo. Momo sprinted as fast as she could and erupted a fireproof blanket from her back. She tackled Shindo and covered them with the blanket. The heat flowed over them with the cloth protecting their bodies. Momo looked down to see Shindo mere inches from her. "So, how's it going?"

"It's been a very long day."

"Agreed." Momo flung the blanket off of their bodies and stood up to turn to the two bickering teens.

"What in the world is wrong with you two?!"

The two looked at one another and then back at Momo. They simultaneously said, "Grudge issues."

Momo sighed. She pulled out her sword and created a shield. Gang Orca chuckled, "At least someone here has some focus. Minions, take care of her. I want to teach these two a lesson about paying attention."

"You heard Big Fish! Get he-AH!" One of the minions was suddenly hit by an arc of lightning and was flung in the air. Izuku skid to a halt next to Momo and pressed the button on his mask, lowering his visor.

"What did I miss?"

"Todoroki and Inasa were arguing, Shindo's been paralyzed, and now the minions are after us."

"...I was gone for 30 seconds."

"You have to keep up sweetheart. Get me to Todoroki; I can get him free." Izuku immediately picked his partner up and threw her like a javelin over the minions. Momo landed down in between Orca and Todoroki. Orca had just paralyzed Inasa and sent him to the ground. She activated her Human Smoke Bomb and rushed to Todoroki's side in the veil. She created acid and spread it across Shoto's concrete. "I don't know what's going on with you and Inasa, but get it together. This is no way to act during an exam."

"It's a personal matter."

"Oh, so you care about privacy in someone's personal life now?"

"...Fair enough."

_*SwooOOooOOOOOOoooo*_

Momo lifted a brow at the strange whistling noise. "What's th-...Duck!" Momo grabbed Todoroki and rolled to the side as Gang Orca emerged from the smoke and stomped down on where they were sitting.

"It's Orca actually." In the distance, Emi could be heard laughing at the joke. "Many toothed whales have ultrasound. I see the world in 3D. So your little smoke bombs won't work on me." He charged forward again and swung down his fist. Momo leaped over his head and swung her foot into the back of Orca's head. "A slick one. I can fix that!"

Just as Orca was about to send out another paralysis attack, he was suddenly slammed in the side of the head by two feet. He skidded to the side, barely able to stop himself from falling over. "Rragh" He charged again at the two and sliced down with his claw.

Momo leapt onto Izuku's back and molded steel around their bodies. His fingers scraped across the metal and Izuku jumped into the air. Momo dropped back into the ground and rolled under Orca's legs. He spun around to see...nothing. "Now!" Izuku landed on his back and wrapped his arms around Orca's head and pulled him back. Momo suddenly reappeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and brought a bronze knuckled fist into his snout.

Gang Orca, understandably sick of it, grabbed Izuku off his back and swung his like a ragdoll into Momo. The two tumbled to the ground disoriented. "Not bad children." He looked over to where his minions were to see them all unconscious. "Not bad at all. Now you-"

_*Fwoosh*_

Fire erupted and swirled all around Gang Orca. From the side, Shoto was holding a still paralyzed Inasa in a sitting position. His flames and Inasa's wind worked together to seal Gang Orca in an inferno. Momo saw what was happening, and activated her own flames to add into the mix. '_Once again, I'm impressed. But, this by no means makes up for their squaballing earlier. It's a good thing I keep this around.' _Orca pulled a large water bottle out from his back pocket and poured it over his skin. He brought his arms together, and shot them out. Water exploded and extinguished all flames in the area. "Any more tricks up your sleeves!"

"Just one!" Orca whipped his head over to see nothing but a streak of green lighting shoot up above and swing down a leg on him. He brought up his arm to block the strike, but his bracer completely shattered and Izuku's foot made direct contact with his arm. Not only did the force damage his arm, but the lightning made contact with the water covering his body, sending crackles of energy throughout Gang Orca. The hero was launched back. His clothes smoking and singed.

The alarm then blared.

The exam was over.

…

"What! The hell! Was that!?"

"I'm sorry I-"

"Sorry!? Do you know how many strings I had to pull to get this meeting to happen!?" Tsukauchi had been like this ever since he met him outside of All For One's jail cell. From the moment his foot stepped out of the door, to the moment they entered the car, Toshnori was getting yelled at. "Do I even need to ask you how many warnings they gave you?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Did you even learn anything big?"

Toshinori sighed, "No. All he said was that he believes they'll lie low and expand their ranks. I have no choice but to take that at face value. I can't help but agree that that's likely what he'll do."

Tsukauchi dragged his hand down his face, "What about Stain? We could try him? Maybe he saw something during his short time with them."

"...You still mad?"

"Yes I'm still mad!"

"Aw c'mon. Let's stop somewhere and get you something to eat. I'll pay."

"Not only do you have the money of the number one pro hero, but retirement funds too. Paying for one meal literally means nothing to you. Do you even realize that you're rich?"

"Meh. I prefer comfort over luxury."

_*Bzzzt*_

Toshinori pulled out his phone to see he received a text from Izuku. He opened it up to see a picture of a hero license. On the card wasn't a nervous or overly excited Izuku, although he was sure the boy was jumping for joy on the inside. The picture was a shoulders back, bright eyed Izuku with a wide confident smile.

"_I did it! I couldn't have done it without you! Thank you for everything. One more step forward to my future!_

_P.S. Momo helped me with my picture. I couldn't stand still at first. She had to glue my feet to the ground and my face in the right way."_

Toshinori chuckled, but he couldn't have been prouder. Well, he would say that. But Izuku proved him wrong every time. He needed that picture at that moment. It was just another reminder to keep his promise he made to All For One.

…

"Hey." Emi turned around to see Shouta standing next to the U.A bus as his students piled in. He walked over to her and gave her a card. "Call me. ONLY during the hours of 5 p.m to 11 p.m, or 7 a.m to 8 a.m. We'll work from there. One! You get one chance!" Shouta began walking away and Emi was silent. She couldn't even crack a joke due to how shocked she was at what had just happened.

Izuku sat on the bus as the rest of the class climbed on. He hadn't stopped staring at his license since he got it. Momo took her seat next to him and smiled. It all went off without a hitch from a certain blonde. Speaking of which…

Momo turned around and looked towards the back of the bus to see Katsuki glaring a hole into the seat in front of him. He hadn't received his license, neither had Todoroki. Both didn't pass for obvious reasons. But, Katsuki didn't look pissed...well, over the top pissed. He simply scowled at everything but people. Momo had a feeling she was going to have to keep an eye on him. It didn't matter right now. She looked back to Izuku and saw him still gazing at his license. A smile broke free onto Momo's face. He was one step closer to his dream. She raised her hand and ran it through his curls.

He finally broke his gaze to look at her, and the smile never left his face. He leaned in and kissed her. "Thank you."

"Of course." Fatigue from the exam began to overtake her. She laid her head down on his shoulder, and soon fell asleep.

…

The bus finally pulled in to U.A grounds as the sun was finally set. Todoroki sat in his seat saddened by two things. One, he didn't pass the exam. But, at least he kind of patched things up with Inasa. What Todoroki was more sad about was that none of his theories that day had any real meat to them. He had no solid evidence, and he couldn't travel all the way to the other schools just to get it. He sighed and looked out the window...Only to slam his face against the window with wide eyes as he saw his golden opportunity.

Walking outside of his dorm building with a scarf to protect against the night chill and bags under his eyes…

...Was Hitoshi Shinso.

Shoto looked to the front of the bus at Mr. Aizawa, and then back out the window. He chuckled as he settled back into his seat. He turned to his trench coated friend. "It looks like we just can't escape this life, eh Barney?"

**A/N: Sorry about the wait everyone. I kind of hit a really bad bump lately and I was in no mental state to write. In fact, I had to go back and rework a lot of this chapter due to it not having any real direction. My mind just wasn't focused. It was bad, and I'm still not fully right in the head at the moment. Better...kinda...but not totally alright. This is a slump that's gonna take a bit to shake off, or if ever and I'll just have to live with it. So, very sorry. I'm doing my best. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and the next couple should be quite something.**


	44. Nice Day For A Swan Dive

Izuku checked his phone and pursed his lips. "We have to cancel the dinner plans. The exam ran way later than expected. Mom said we'll try again next week."

"Oh, okay. That might be for the best. It'll give us more time. Speaking of which, Momo checked the time and picked up her tray of tea. "I'll be upstairs. Come in whenever you're ready."

Oh right. The talk. Izuku had almost forgotten. He was nervous, but almost in a good way. Momo pecked his lips and made her way upstairs. Izuku looked out at his classmates as they began to follow Momo's example and go to bed. 'Well, I can't put it off forever." Izuku stood up from the common room couch and began to walk towards the stairs, until a voice spoke out from behind him.

"Meet me out front later. We need to talk about your quirk. Leave Ponytail behind."

...Oh no.

This was absolutely the last thing Izuku needed tonight. It was all going so well. He obtained his license, something that was nothing but a mere pipedream a year ago. Almost the entire class passed and had celebrated together. Todoroki was finally off of his back with his crazy theories. And he was minutes away from finally freeing his heart and mind from the weight it had been carrying for 11 years.

But, once again Katsuki decided that Izuku hadn't suffered enough.

He shouldn't go. He knew he shouldn't go. Bakugou had no power over him. He could do whatever he wanted. He should just go up to his loving girlfriend and forget all about Katsuki's request (demand).

'...I'm going aren't I?' Izuku sighed as he opened the door to Momo's room. She was sitting with her back against a large pile of pillows with her lower half under the covers as she read her book. She was only a few inches from being in the center of the bed, no doubt want Izuku to fill the rest of the space. Steaming tea was waiting for them on her bedside table, and the dim light from the lamp gave of a soft orange glow to the room. It looked like the coziest thing Izuku had ever seen. 'Just do it. Just do it Izuku. Just walk in there, get in that bed, and talk to her. Who cares about Kacchan. Do it.'

Momo sighed and closed her book, "What exactly does Bakugou want now?"

'Stupid muttering.'

"You aren't muttering. I just knew that there would be no other thing holding you back from walking inside but him."

"...We have a problem. He wants to meet me in private outside. He said he wants to talk about my quirk, and that you can't come."

"He has terrible timing doesn't he?" Izuku nodded in agreement and furrowed his brow.

"I'm not going."/"You should go."

Izuku's eyes widened. Did he hear that correctly? "W-...What?"

"You should go."

"...Who are you and what did you do to Momo?"

Momo chuckled and then continued. "I don't want you to go, but this might be for the best. We both know that if you don't go know Bakugou will just become even angrier and simply force you to do it. The last thing we need is for him to barge in during our conversation. And, the sooner you get this over with the sooner we can get to what we intended to do tonight."

Izuku sighed, but nodded. "You're probably right. But, wh-what if he actually has it figured out? What if he knows about One For All?"

"Deny. No matter how sure he is, he can never truly be certain unless he gets a real answer from you or All Might. If he doesn't let up, leave. He can't do anything in the building. Even he has enough self control to not do that."

"...O-Okay. Just one minor detail though. I'm-"

"A terrible liar?"

"Yes, that. Me saying "no" will essentially be me saying yes."

"Tell it to him when walking away. Act as if the conversation is so ridiculous you won't even humor it. You won't have to look him in the eyes that way. Lack of eye contact will make it seem less genuine, but it's the best we can do at the moment."

Izuku exhaled and nodded, "Alright. I'll make this quick. I'll be back in a minute." Izuku exited the room, and made his way downstairs. Momo slumped back against her pillows, thoughts running through her head.

'Out of all nights Bakugou, why tonight?' Momo suspected that he was simply angry at the exam and noticed how well Izuku did. Maybe he was simply going to try and pressure Izuku into telling him, giving Katsuki at least one victory tonight.

There was one thing that bothered Momo. Why did Bakugou ask to meet Izuku outside? He could have easily done this in one of their dorm rooms. And Katsuki didn't seem like the kind of person who would simply ask someone outside for a civil conversation...after curfew.

...And it had been a few minutes since Izuku left.

Wait…

'Is he...No. He wouldn't. Mr. Aizawa would kill him if he started a fight."

*Bzzt*

Momo heard her phone by buzz from her bedside table and picked it up.

Izuku: Change of plans. He took me to Ground Gamma. Something's not right.

'...Oh no.'

Momo flung the covers off of her body and rushed out the door.

…

"You remember this building?"

Izuku looked up to the building where the first battle training was held. Suddenly Katsuki wanted to take a trip down memory lane? Now things were definitely odd. If Bakugou really wanted to question Izuku, there was no reason to take him all the way out to Ground Gamma. Especially when it was after hours.

Bakugou didn't seem to care about the risks of being in there past curfew. And he seemed... oddly calm. Katsuki always had a knack for acting subdued whenever he was in a situation where he felt in control. So, really it was whenever his opponent was right where he wanted them.

There was no walking out of this.

"Y-Yeah. It was where battle training was held during the first week of school."

"This was where you beat me. This is where it all fucking started."

"...Wh-Where what started?"

Katsuki turned around and scowled at him. "This is where you ran past me."

"What do yo-?"

"Maybe if you just shut up and listen I'll explain!" Izuku clamped his mouth shut, and awaited for Katsuki to continue. "...Ever since you beat me, I felt like utter shit about it. You. Fucking Deku. Beat me. And then, you actually win the Sports Festival. You do this to me." Katsuki raised his right hand and showed off his scar. "You fucking marked me. You gave me a permanent reminder that you beat me. Again. I felt like I wanted to vomit every time I looked at it."

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean t-"

"What did I say!" Izuku closed his mouth again. "Thanks to that bitch, you beat me in grades."

"Don't call her that!"

"Yeah yeah whatever. You improved yourself more than anyone after the internships, you actually made me fucking work with you during the finals, you stopped that villain at camp. And, to top it all off, you fucking rescue me from getting kidnapped. You rescue me from a villain, who can take away quirks like he did to Ragdoll's. A villain that knew All Might. And, he had an odd interest...in you. All of this, from a spontaneous quirk. A quirk with immense strength. A quirk that didn't exist...until All Might came to town."

...Here it comes.

"After the sludge monster, you were different. The attack wasn't the only time you saw All Might that day either, was it? And ten months later you have a quirk. And, if it's possible for quirks to get transferred then...you know where I'm going with this."

Izuku remained silent.

"...You have All Might's quirk." Katsuki gazed on at Izuku, waiting for him to give him an answer.

Izuku opened his mouth, "I think you've been hanging around Todoroki too much. That's crazy."

Katsuki's scowl grew. "Don't fucking lie to me. All Might already tried that. I could see through it then, and I can definitely see through you."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Besides, you could have just done this one on of our dorm rooms. So, what are we really here for Bakugou?"

"Tch, still doing that back and forth with my name shit. And, now you're lying too. Ponytail's got you whipped. Fine, you want to know what we're here for?" Katsuki began stretching out his limbs. "We're going to fight."

"Wh-What!?"

"You heard me dipshit. We're going to fight. We both looked up to All Might, but clearly my way of thinking about it is wrong. If he saw something in you so great that he gave you his fucking quirk, then you're going to show me. And with his power, you better not fuckin' lose."

Izuku began backing away with his arms out, "There's nothing wrong with how you looked up to All Might! We don't have to fight!"

"I suggest you get ready if you don't want to get hurt." Katsuki began walking towards him with small explosions popping from his palms. That was a sight Izuku hadn't seen for awhile. The stress of the situation began to rise. Izuku's body began to tense and his heart rate skyrocketed.

"Yeah, come on! Kick his ass Bakugou!"

Izuku furrowed his brow and scrunched up his face as memories came back. He was panicking. He had no clue what to do. The only thing he could think of was Momo's advice. He turned around, and began walking away. "I-... Where the fuck are you going!?"

"I'm n-not going to fight you. We're not even supposed to be here. I-I'm going back to my room."

"Look at that! Deku's trying to run!" Izuku shook his head to clear his mind.

"Get the fuck back here! Who said you could walk away!?" Izuku just began walking faster. Katsuki grit his teeth and clenched his fists. After everything, this was one thing he wasn't going to be denied. Especially by Deku. "DON'T YOU FUCKING TURN YOUR BACK ON ME!"

*BOOM*

Katsuki shot forward and thrusted his open palm out towards Izuku. But, just before he reached him, something stepped in between them.

...

(15 Seconds Earlier)

Momo had finally found them. Ground Gamma would have been a pain to navigate through if it weren't for Bakugou's screaming. But, once she exited an alley and saw the two, Izuku suddenly began walking away.

...Only for Katsuki to shoot off after him.

Momo's eyes widened and her feet began moving on their own. She rushed the two teens and tried to create the best shield she could in her limited time. But, it sadly wasn't much.

Momo leaped into the air and tried to block the blast. Whatever happened after that was a complete blur to her. A blinding light consumed her sight, and heat rushed over her body. She flew off to the side and hit one of the buildings. Pain shot through her shoulder cracked against the concrete.

Izuku, who was knocked down from the blast, slowly got to his feet. "Urgh...Damn. What happe-..." Izuku's eyes landed on Momo, lying on her side against a building. Her clothing was black and singed, and scuffs and burn marks covered her arms. A cut on her scalp caused blood to slowly drip down her face. "M-...Momo?" Izuku rushed over to her and got down onto his knees. He cradled her head in his lap and looked her over. "Momo! Are yo-"

"I'm alright." Her voice came up weakly. I've been hit by All Might before, so I've had worse...but, this is an easy second. Would you mind?" A roll of bandages came out of her arm. Izuku immediately picked it up and began wrapping it around her head.

"GODDAMN IT!" Izuku froze.

...Katsuki.

He did this. Bakugou was going to attack him while he had his back turned. But then, he hurt Momo instead. The smell of smoke and singed hair wasn't unknown to Izuku. It made him want to vomit.

The bruises.

The burns.

The cuts and blood.

The god awful ringing in his ears.

But, it wasn't on him this time. It was on Momo.

As Izuku looked down at his loved one, his blood began to boil. His heart began pounding in his ears, and an intense heat began shooting through his veins as he felt power course through his muscles. His breathing became uneven and he began to shake. Momo looked up to Izuku with worry. "Izuku? Are you okay?" Her concerns turned into nothing but dead air as Izuku finished wrapping her head and turned to face Katsuki.

Katsuki clenched his hands into his hair. "Fuck! I keep fucking up! This wasn't supposed to happen. I-...If only I was better. If only I was stronger! This wouldn't have happened! And All Might wouldn't be the way he is now." Izuku slowly turned his head to glare at Katsuki. He could hear the cracking in his voice. Was he... crying?

Katsuki...had the AUDACITY to cry to him.

In Izuku's mind, everything went red. Bakugou was no longer wearing the outfit he was wearing before. Now, he was wearing his old middle school uniform with the same smug smile and malicious glare in his eye. The person he used to look up to.

The person he used to play Heroes with.

The person who used to be his friend.

The person he dreamed of becoming a hero with.

The person who turned into his tormenter.

The person that used to beat him up everyday.

The person that turned everyone against him.

The person that made him feel like a waste of life.

The person that hurt Momo.

The person that finally broke him.

"You worthless piece of trash." "Yeah! Get him Bakugou!" "You think you can be a hero?" "No wonder he left. Who would want a quirkless kid?" "Fucking loser." "Give up freak!" "Don't touch me! I might catch your quirklessness." "You should give it up kid. It ain't happenin'." "I'm so sorry Izuku." "Be a hero?...No, I think not."

"Take a swan dive off of the roof of the building."

The person that represented everything he hated.

"I-...I destroyed All Might. It's my fault for being so weak and getting kidnapped. He won't say it but it's true! But you got so much better. And you became his sidekick. His favorite! I looked up to him too. I have to chase after you. But it was me that caused it all to fall apart! But it all just repeats in my mind over and over! I don't know what I'm supposed to-"

*Crack*

The next thing Bakugou knew, he was flying through the air with a broken nose. He slammed through a wall and crashed to the ground. 'Wh-...What the hell!?' Katsuki shoved the rubble out of the way, and began to stand up. "Who the fuck do y-ack!?" Katsuki felt his feet lift off of the ground as a hand clasped around his neck. Katsuki looked down and realized that something definitely wasn't right.

The crackling of green lightning surrounded by Izuku, which was normal. But now, lightning burst from his eyes. The red streaks of red power wrapped around his skin. And most importantly, the look in Izuku's eyes. Katsuki noticed that it was the same look Izuku had right before he broke his hands.

The difference this time, was that it wasn't going away.

"How dare you," Izuku spoke in a low voice. "After everything...After everything you've done, you have the gall to cry TO ME! Did it even register through your head that you just hurt somebody!? Do you even realize that you hurt me!?"

"You? What the fuck are you talking about? I didn't touch you!"

"You've hurt me for the last 11 years." Izuku swiveled around and threw Katsuki out of the building. Katsuki skid across the ground and barely recovered on his feet. "I'm so tired of it all. You want a fight Kacchan? I'll give you more than that. I'm going to make you feel everything you've ever done to me."

On the side, Momo lowered her head in sadness. It finally happened.

"RRAH!" In the blink of an eye Izuku was back on Bakugou, his leg swinging down. Katsuki crossed his arms out in front of him to block the hit, but it didn't matter. Izuku's strength broke right through and sent his arms down. Burn marks seared into his skin. In a panic, Katsuki blasted into the sky.

"You basta-" Black Whip suddenly shot out and wrapped around Bakugou's body and slammed him into the ground. Before Katsuki could get up, a foot slammed into his ribs and sent him flying once more. The kick was charged with energy making the pain course through his body.

Momo did her best to run to her partner. "Izuku stop!" But, her pleas fell on deaf ears, and Izuku shot off into the sky. Black Whip flung out of Izuku's arms at a dangerous rate. It was more of a large black mass than tendrils. They latched around Bakugou's body and began dragging him across the side of the buildings. He then threw Bakugou across the sky.

A security bot emerged from an alley and saw the teens. "Students out after curfew and causing a ruckus. Alerting Mr. Aiza-ZZZT!" The electricity bursting from Izuku connected with the droid and caused a short circuit.

…

The red light on Shouta's computer suddenly stopped blinking. "Hm? Must've been a glitch."

…

As Katsuki soared through the air, Izuku tackled his flying body and crashed down onto a rooftop. "Motherfucker!" Katsuki swung back an elbow and felt it connect to Izuku's face. He spun around and blasted. Before Izuku could fly off the building, he grabbed onto Katsuki, keeping him grounded but still taking the hit. He began squeezing Bakugou's arm and could feel it cracking. "Rraah!" Katsuki grabbed onto Izuku's hand and used his quirk. The burning sensation causing Izuku to pull back. Bakugou stumbled back and cradled his arm. "What the fuck happened to you!?"

"Of course you don't know. When have you ever known!? Your own ego has always blocked your vision so badly, that you've never even realized how you affect people! You don't know how you make people feel." Izuku clutched his head and crouched down. "You don't even have the slightest idea what you've done to me!"

"Done to you! Look at you! You're All Might's little favorite! Stop fucking complaining like you have it so bad!"

Izuku's fingers dug into the concrete, cracking into it. "You really don't know, do you? I was already going to tell Momo, so why not you too. Maybe this will finally help you see." Before Katsuki could even move, Izuku blasted forward and pulled his Katsuki's arms around his back and held his fists close.

"What the fuck are you doing!?" Izuku shoved Bakugou down to his knees directly at the edge of the building. The rooftop exit suddenly burst open and Momo emerged from it.

"Izuku stop!" She ran over to him and tried to pry him from Katsuki, but his super strength was too much. Izuku continued to ignore her.

"Look down!"

"What are yo-!?"

"Look down!" Izuku pushed Bakugou further so he was leaning over the edge. "This was my perspective for nearly 3 years! This is what I had to look at for years of my life!"

Katsuki continued to fight Izuku's grasp. "Wh-...I don't get it! What are you talking about!?"

"...This rooftop...it's the perfect place for a swan dive, isn't it?"

Katsuki suddenly stopped struggling as his eyes widened. Izuku let go of Bakugou and backed away. Momo was simply standing there in shock. Katsuki turned around and looked at his opponent. "Y-...You're lying. No you're... you're lying!"

"Why would I lie about this?"

"You're trying to get in my head!" Katsuki raised his hands and fired off another blast. Izuku swiftly dodged and picked up Momo. He brought her back down to the ground and shot back up into the building rooftop. Momo simply stood there. It was a fear that she had inside of her for awhile, but she simply ignored it. She never wanted to imagine that her Izuku was…

Suicidal.

Did...Did he still have those thoughts? That kind of mindset doesn't just turn off. Was that why he was so reckless? Did he not care about his own life? Were his injuries a way of purposeful self harm? Thought after thought ran through her head. She simply couldn't believe that boy she loved at one point wanted to die, and came close to committing to it. Momo didn't know what to do anymore. She couldn't stop Izuku. She didn't think anyone could at this point. He had a mission now: Hurt Bakugou. He was already doing it physically.

And telling Katsuki was his way of hurting him psychologically.

As much as Momo hated Katsuki, she knew even he wouldn't actually mean his words when he told someone to kill himself. She would have to decipher just how angry she was that he said those words to begin with later. But, Izuku wanted Katsuki to question if he was even a hero or not. Izuku was turning from a fight into a stomping match.

Izuku jumped up and axe kicked down onto Bakugou. While trying to block, it didn't help as he was sent crashing down through the roof and into the building. Izuku landed down inside and rushed Katsuki once more. The blonde set off his flashbang attack. But Izuku, even blinded, bulldozed straight through and shoulder rammed Katsuki against the wall.

Izuku threw a wide punch, but he was still blinded. So he hit the wall, his fist slamming through the concrete. Katsuki saw Izuku's fist go through the wall like it was water, and realized just how much in danger he really was. He blasted Izuku through the wall and down to ground level. Bakugou ran to the hole and looked down to the road to see...nothing.

A flash of green lit under Katsuki's peripheral vision as a fist rocketed into his jaw. As he began flying up, Izuku grabbed Katsuki by the ankle and threw him to the ground. Katsuki scraped across the ground and skidded to a halt. Izuku sauntered towards the his former tormenter. "Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to convince you in the next life."

"Tch, what do you keep track of all my quotes?"

Katsuki propped himself up on his elbows and knees. Izuku was joking, right? There was no way that 'Oh who the fuck am I kidding? That bastard wasn't lying.'

He knew it. There wasn't a doubt in Katsuki's mind since the moment Izuku had said it. There were always the days where back at middle school, Izuku was...vacant. He would walk into class with a sort of dead look in his eyes.

He didn't talk, even though that was normal back at Aldera.

He didn't write in his journals.

He didn't run.

He didn't fight back, or more appropriately he didn't try to block hits.

When he would cry, it wasn't his usual over the top tears. They were silent and slow and he never wiped them away. It was almost like he didn't care.

Well, "like" was now the wrong word. He really didn't care back then. Katsuki couldn't help but wonder if those were the days when Izuku was going to…leave.

Katsuki's stomach churned when he thought about how frequent those days became year after year. In 6th grade it was only once in awhile. In 7th grade it was once a month. In their final year, it was rare to see Izuku even somewhat alive on the inside.

"Fuck...Fuck. God Fucking Damn it!" He really screwed up. Royally fucked up.

"We'll be heroes together Kacchan."

"Pft, yeah sure. But you'll never be as good as me. You can be my sidekick."

...Some hero that kid turned out to be.

What happened? As much as Katsuki wanted to blame it on a million other things, he knew the real answer. He happened. He couldn't even blame it entirely on his quirk. Katsuki knew that he must have always been fucked up in the head. He couldn't blame how rough his mother was at times either. She was always...feisty. But, she didn't start getting handsy until he had started becoming so...him.

Heroes were meant to inspire like All Might did to him. They helped the innocent by beating the hell out of villains and never losing. And the villains were the bad guys who did their best to destroy the lives of the innocent.

Innocent... Katsuki looked back at his opponent walking towards him. Izuku suddenly turned into his four year old self. He was the definition of innocent.

And Katsuki wasn't looking very heroic now.

Young Izuku turned back into Izuku now. His face formed into an intense glare. His brow furrowed and his fists clenched. Lightning still flowed from his eyes and the vibrant scars of red power etched across his body. He turned that innocent kid, into that.

He would deal with it later. Suicidal or not, Katsuki refused to lose. Katsuki rose to his knees and licked his palms. He pivoted around and rushed forward. Izuku clenched his teeth and met Katsuki halfway. They collided as lightning burst around at all angles. Izuku began spinning into a green twister. His slammed his leg into Katsuki's jaw. It didn't matter how slow kicking was. Izuku's power now was well beyond Katsuki's pace.

Bakugou recovered and sent out both hands. Izuku clasped his hands with Katsuki's and repeated their position from the festival. But, Katsuki actually had a plan that time. He pooled the sweat he licked from his palms and opened his mouth. Fire and smoke erupted right into Izuku's face.

Unfortunately, or fortunately from Izuku's perspective, it didn't make him release his hold on Katsuki. The blonde felt a sudden jolt of electricity fly through his arms and through his body. Izuku sent power through his hands and into Katsuki. "AAAAAAAAH!" The explosive teen felt like he was on fire as his muscles began to contract. Izuku raised his foot and kicked Bakugou off of him. Katsuki tried to force his body to stand, but it simply couldn't. He turned his head over to Izuku. He could see burns and scuffs cover his face, but his furious features were still present.

The greenette gazed down at Katsuki. He was broken, bloody, scuffed, bruised, cut, all of the above. It was clear that the blonde couldn't get up. Izuku had won.

And he felt...nothing.

Nothing at all except disappointment. The dark side of the mind was a double edged sword. It had given Izuku dark thoughts about Bakugou and his lackeys that he tried so hard to ignore. And now, after all that time, Izuku finally acted on those thoughts he tried to throw in his mental incinerator. But, the dark side of the brain gave him absolutely no satisfaction.

It all just felt pointless.

He had almost expected a fighters high. Izuku expected to finally feel free of fear once he knew he could beat Katsuki. He had wanted Katsuki to apologize when he realized what he truly did to Izuku over the years. Izuku just wanted Katsuki to feel sorry for something. Anything at all. Maybe it would show Katsuki really does have a somewhat decent side to him. But no. Either Katsuki really didn't believe him, or he did and he simply didn't give a fuck.

Izuku couldn't help but lean toward it probably being the ladder.

But the fury just wouldn't subside. Izuku needed something to bring him back down to Earth. Luckily, a soft hand found his. It unclenched his fist and intertwined their fingers. Izuku whipped his head over to see Momo looking at him. She wasn't angry. She wasn't looking at him like he was a monster. She looked sad. Sad for him.

For some reason, Izuku began to cry as he looked at her. "I-I'm sorry." Momo had warned him, and he still snapped. He had no control over it, but he wanted to so badly. Izuku had never wanted to hurt someone in his entire life. Even the villains he fought he only hurt because he had to. But Bakugou, he had every intent and desire to bring him pain. Revenge was shoved into his internal programming for a split second, and he took it in full stride. And now he just felt ashamed. He was the one that turned into Bakugou. "I-I'm so sorry."

Momo pulled in Izuku and put his head in the crook of her neck as he cried. She stroked his hair and whispered to him as she tried to comfort him. This night went a much different direction than she imagined. And now, she was the only stable person on site. Momo needed to take charge. She let Izuku go besides his hand and walked him over to Katsuki. "C'mon, let's get you up."

"I don't need your fuc-"

"Either we take you back, or you bleed out and die here." Katsuki grunted, but relented as Momo picked him up and put one of his arms around her neck. "No one say a single word. We're going to Mr. Aizawa and receiving whatever punishment we deserve." Both boys did as she said, and they all exited Ground Gamma and walked their way to the teacher's dorm. They made it to Shouta's room and knocked. The door opened and Aizawa's eyes widened. "Sorry to disturb you so late Mr. Aizawa, but we need to speak to you. Also, you might want to call Recovery Girl in."

…

"Who. Started. It?"

Katsuki immediately answered, "Me."

Recovery finished her final bandage on Momo and turned to Shouta. "He's in far worse condition than Midoriya however."

Shouta raised a brow and whipped to Midoriya. "Care to explain Problem Child?"

Izuku sat silent in his chair, freshly bandaged. He continued to look down at his lap. Momo decided to answer for him.

"Bakugou started the fight, but Izuku was provoked into acting irrationally. His emotions got the best of him."

"Got the best of him? I have a student who had two broken ribs, a fractured arm, a broken nose, and minor internal bleeding, and you're going to tell me that this was the cause of a little hissy fit!?"

"Not a 'hissy fit' sir. He was attacked, and the issue at hand cause something inside of him to erupt."

Shouta's scowl deepened, "Oh? So what exactly was the issue at hand, hm? What's the matter with him? Why is he quiet?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Aizawa, but that's none of your business."

"As his homeroom teacher it is my bu-"

"No. It's not." What happened next was a stare down between Aizawa and his class Vice President. Shouta even activated his quirk for intimidation, but Momo wasn't budging. He could tell by her look that he wasn't going to get any information tonight.

Shouta rubbed his temples and sighed. "Lockdown! Bakugou, you started the fight, you were the cause of major collateral damage, and you have caused the provocation and mental instability of a fellow student. Five days! And since you clearly lack the responsibility as a student, you definitely don't have the responsibility to have a license yet. You won't be retaking the exam this year. Midoriya, you might not have started the fight, but your extreme and excessive beatdown of Bakugou heavily blurs the line between self defense and assault. Four days! Yaoyorozu, you get a warning. You may have not started the fight, or participated in it. But, you didn't come to someone of authority first. Now get out."

The three nodded their heads and walked out the door. They trudged their way to the dorm building in silence. It was only broken whenever the elevator reached the second floor, and Izuku and Momo made their way out of the compartment. Right before the doors closed, one word was spoken by it's blonde passenger.

"Sorry."

The elevator shut, and took Katsuki with it. The couple remained there in silence for a few minutes, until Momo took Izuku's hand and led him to her room. Whatever that was, it was an entirely new ordeal. Izuku needed on problem at a time.

As her bedroom door closed behind her, Izuku simply continued to stand in one place. It seemed he wouldn't move anywhere without her. She guided him to the bed and sat him down. "Take off your shoes. I'll get you a new shirt." Izuku weakly nodded and bent down to remove his footwear.

Momo pulled out a new shirt for him to wear and gave it to the now barefoot Midoriya. As he was changing, his phone began to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw it was All Might. It was clear that he didn't want to talk to anyone else at the moment, so Momo picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Yaoyorozu? Where's Young Izuku?"

"He's here with me. He's just not up for talking right now."

"I heard what happened from Aizawa and I'm on my way over. What happened? Apparently you wouldn't tell why the fight started."

"Yes, I refused to talk. And, I'm afraid I can't talk here either. You should just go home and rest. I'll handle it."

"What? But I-"

"Please. Let me handle this. I'll inform you of everything once Izuku is comfortable."

"... Alright. Okay but call me the second he's ready."

"I promise." Momo ended the call and turned back around to see Izuku now under the covers. She made her way over to him and joined in. Once under the blankets, she pulled him into the crook of her neck once more. He wrapped his arms around her and Momo began stroking his hair again. They stayed like that for awhile. Neither really wanted to continue with anything or face any more problems. But, it couldn't last forever. Izuku had been trying to make it last for the past 11 years. "Neither of us are going to get much sleep tonight. Not until it's all out. So…"

"Where does your full story begin?"

Next Time: Izuku Midoriya: Origin (Between the Pages)


	45. Izuku Midoriya: Origin (Hidden Pages)

_"How exactly am I supposed to start?"_

_"However you want. We have all the time you need Izuku."_

_"...Not all men are created equal. You already know that part. Not all men are treated equal either."_

_..._

Running sucked. After not too long, the legs begin to burn, it becomes hard to breathe, and you sweat uncomfortably. It was especially bad for those who were out of shape.

It was just a shame that it seemed like it was all Izuku did most days.

An eight year old Izuku ran through the empty sidewalks of Musutafu as his "afternoon appointment" chased after him. He was just lucky that the boy with wings was too portly to actually fly. Izuku swerved into an alley, but skidded to a halt as he was met with a chain link fence.

He couldn't turn back. They would get him immediately. And he was far too tired to climb it. So, Izuku did all that he could. He shoved his latest hero journal under his shirt and over his chest to protect it from the explosions in his near future.

Izuku slid down the fence and sat, accepting his fate. And lo and behold, Katsuki and his gang swerved around the corner in the next few seconds. The head of the pack carried the same smug grin and thrill in his blood red eyes that Izuku had grown to fear so much. "What did I tell you about running Deku?" Izuku didn't answer him. "Tch, and what did I say about ignoring me?"

Izuku just put his head down. No matter if he answered or not, he'd get the same beating. Not responding would just get it over with quicker. A nameless lackey scoffed from the side. "He's not talkin' Bakugou."

"Well I guess he really hasn't learned his lesson about ignoring people. Let's teach him his manners." The group then closed in on their prey.

...

_"...I'd rather skip over this part if you don't mind."_

_"Of course."_

"_You might be wondering why I didn't try to at least train myself. To be a hero and to defend myself. If I wanted to be a hero so badly it would make sense that I would try to do something at least. And, why was I so scrawny even though my mother cooks plenty. Well, I did try for awhile. But, it didn't work out too well."_

_..._

"Huuueggh" Izuku vomited onto the ground as a kick rocketed into his stomach.

_"I couldn't keep a diet due to losing my lunch every other day for one reason or another. Sometimes I was hit. Others my anxiety caused my stomach to reject things and make me lose my appetite. And other times my lunch was stolen or destroyed. And with my overabundance of running, working out would have just made it worse."_

_..._

Izuku opened the door to the apartment and hobbled in. "Mom?"

No answer.

'_Good.' _He limped his way into the bathroom and hopped onto his stool in front of the mirror. Luckily they avoided the face this time around, so he didn't have to hide anything there. Bruises sucked, but he bathed himself now that he was old enough. Inko wouldn't see them.

He bandaged up his knees, arms, and anywhere else that needed it. Izuku looked back up into the mirror saw his expression. It looked blank. He knew what to do.

Izuku closed his eyes, and burst them open while putting on his All Might smile. That was better. It wasn't that good yet, but he would get there. Besides, he needed to keep smiling. It was the key to his future. He couldn't keep crying.

Izuku hopped down and made his way into the kitchen. His stomach was now completely empty from earlier. He wasn't hungry, but he needed it. Izuku opened the fridge and hopped up onto another stool to reach the top shelf. But, on the counter next to the appliance, something caught his eye.

An opened letter sat on the counter, which normally Izuku wouldn't care. It wasn't his business and no one would ever send him letters. But, this was different.

_Hisashi Midoriya_

It was from Dad.

Izuku immediately grabbed the papers and began reading. He hadn't seen his dad in...ever. Izuku could only assume that he had to at least have met him once, he was just too young to remember. Izuku began reading, but there was something off about it. None of it was in handwriting, and there was a signature line at the bottom. Izuku didn't understand most of the words, but there was one word that repeated a lot throughout the document.

_Divorce_

"Izuku?" The said boy whipped his head around to see Into walk into the kitchen. Her eyes widened when she saw what Izuku was holding.

"Mom, what's a divorce?"

Izuku didn't smile that night.

…

_"Do you hate him?"_

_Izuku chuckled, "Bakugou or my Dad?"_

_"Hisashi."_

_"I tried to. But, I couldn't hate what I never even knew."_

_"Do you think he's seen you on TV? The Sports Festival is popular all around the world."_

_"If he did, he still didn't care enough to contact us. So, wherever he is and whatever he does, he's not my dad. Not anymore. And honestly, he never was."_

…

_"When did it happen?"_

_"What?"_

_"When did you first want to...you know?"_

_"I'm not really sure. It evolved and grew over time. But, I do know the day the seed was planted."_

...

*****_**Boom***_

Izuku slumped against the side of the building, smoke flowing from his body as burn and scorch marks covered his body and uniform. The only thing to relieve his pain was the cold rain falling onto the burns. There was no one else with Bakugou this time. It was just him.

"Now, you wanna try again nerd?"

"I-I just...I just want to at least give it a chance. I w-want to try and be a he-"

*_Crack* _

Katsuki's fist slammed into Izuku's left cheek. "God-Damn it. Why won't you fuckin' listen? You're nothing but a worthless fucking welp. Stop trying to get in my way. Tch, whatever. What's the point in trying to get it through your dense skull?" Katsuki began walking, but stopped. "Oh, I almost forgot." He shot up an fist and Izuku flinched. "Hmhmhm, happy 12th birthday fuck-face."

Katsuki grabbed his bag and umbrella, and took off.

_*Get up. C'mon, get up.*_

Izuku tried talking to himself, but he simply couldn't. He couldn't find the point in trying to get up. In fact, he couldn't find the point in doing anything at all.

Every day for 8 years. The same cycle over and over. Nothing ever changed before, so why would it now? How exactly would he miraculously become capable of being any kind of hero?

_*CCCRRR*_

A noise sprung to life above the teen. As Izuku looked up, he could see an air conditioning unit mounted on the side of the building. It was old and rusted, clearly on its last limb. As the heavy winds continued, the rattling of the until increased. The nails and bolts holding it to the wall loosened by the second.

It was directly over Izuku's head as he laid there on the concrete. If Izuku didn't move, it would fall right on top of him and surely kill him. There was just one issue.

...Izuku didn't care.

It was strange, yet scary to realize. Izuku gazed at the mounted hunk of metal with no emotion. He did his best to feel scared of it or want to move. But, he just couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to move out of its way. It would kill him…

And he was okay with that.

_*ERRR*_

The air conditioning unit creaked and snapped from its mount, and began its descent to the ground. Izuku closed his eyes and waited for the impact.

_*CRASH*_

Izuku heard the noise, but felt nothing. The dulling pain if his wounds still remained. Izuku opened his eyes and looked down to his right. The metal box was a crumpled mess next to him, mere inches from his body.

It missed.

Maybe it was the wind. Or maybe it was the way it was mounted and how it tilted. Or maybe it was whatever god's sick idea of teasing him. But, it moved ever so slightly in the air and landed next to Izuku. As Izuku looked down at it, he couldn't help but feel…

Disappointed.

He was still here.

It was there Izuku realized that whoever he was before wasn't there anymore.

And only Deku remained.

…

"_Is that how you feel about your injuries?"_

"_What? No, never. Especially not now. Not with you."_

"_...When did you first try?"_

_..._

"...You what?"

Izuku looked down at the papers his mother had just handed him with almost disgust. He didn't even want to think about such a thing.

"I want you to attend it. I think it will be a nice experience."

_Quirkless Anonymous: Quirkless Aid Movement. Do you feel left behind in this ever-changing world of power? Have you ever hated that fact that you are quirkless? Do you feel like you don't belong? Please, join our groups and chat with people like you. It can be a life changing experience talking with fellow quirkless and hearing their life experiences. Here, you can learn that quirkless still have a place in this society. We can stand tall with the powerful and contribute to-_

Izuku tossed down the papers in disbelief. No. There was no way in Hell he was doing that. He wasn't going to listen to people delude themselves into thinking society didn't work the way it did. Trying to trick quirkless people into thinking that people were created equal was wrong. Izuku was sick and tired of faking it after 8 years of doing it. At this point it could be considered his profession. Maybe if being a hero didn't work out, he could be an actor. "W-Why? I don't want to do this."

"Izuku I just think that it could be good. You've never met another quirkless person so maybe you can learn something."

"...Learn something?" Oh. So that's what it was all about. She wanted Izuku to realize that there were other options out there. She wanted him to see others life experiences and to think it was okay to be quirkless and that he can't do certain things.

Like be a hero.

It had been so long that Izuku had almost forgotten. His mother didn't believe in him. '_Why would she? I mean look at you.' _Izuku shook his head to get the thoughts out. But, just like every other time...it didn't work. '_She's just like Dad. She doesn't want you. You really think she's the only one that cares? Of course she doesn't. No one else does. Even she can see reality. You can't be a hero. You can't do anything. What's the point anymore? It's pretty evident she won't miss you. All you do is cause her grief. You're the reason her husband left her. You cost her so much money. How much money have you made her waste on merchandise anyway?You just make everything worse. Even if you had the smallest chance of being a hero, you would just fuck it up somehow. Everything would be so much better if you weren't around.'_

Izuku shot out of his chair and rushed into his room. He slammed and locked his door, clutching his head and crouching down against his door. He could hear Inko come after him and knock on the door. "Oh Izuku! Honey? I'm so sorry. You don't have to go if you really don't want to. It was just a suggestion. Izuku?" He didn't answer and walked away from the door.

Izuku began pacing back and forth around the room. And at some point, without even realizing it, he was pacing in front of his bedroom window as tears flowed from his eyes. His inner voice was on loop in his head, and it refused to stop. Izuku ceased his pacing and pressed his forehead against the window.

The cool glass actually helped. It was distracting. Until, Izuku opened his eyes. He could see the ground of the alley next to his building. Suddenly, his entire body felt cold. The thoughts came back with a vengeance. Now, the alley looked like the most tempting thing in the world. There was even a dumpster outside. He could be disposed of easily.

'_It'd be easy.'_

Unconsciously, Izuku undid the locks on the window.

'_No more pain.'_

He slid the window up.

'_No more being alone.'_

He lifted a foot and placed it on the ledge.

'_You can leave this life behind.'_

"Izuku?" The teen was snapped out of his trance and whipped around to look at his door. "I'm going to make dinner sweetheart. I'll bring it to you and you can eat it here. I understand that you're mad. Take all the time that you need. I'll throw the papers away." After that, Inko walked away from the door. Izuku sighed and looked back to the window.

His eyes widened and he stumbled backwards. He fell back onto the floor and began to hyperventilate. What had just happened? He...He almost jumped. Why? Why would he...no. He knew why? And he couldn't say he didn't want it either. Izuku brought his knees to his chest and curled into a ball.

After that day he closed the blinds over the window, and never opened them again.

It was just too bad that it didn't stop the thoughts...or other attempts.

…

_Izuku was suddenly brought further into Momo's embrace. "Please, please tell me that you don't think like that anymore."_

"_No. I promise. I haven't thought about it for a long time. Especially not since meeting you."_

"_What about when you met All Might?"_

"_...We'll get there."_

...

It was confusing.

When Izuku would look down at the ground 5 stories below, or at the bottle of pills in the cabinet, the knives in the kitchen, or even at his belt and a ceiling fan…

Is it fight or flight?

On the one hand, it was an escape. He wanted to fly away from his life and leave it behind for something better...or at least just something.

But, committing could mean fighting his fear of it.

But, he was also terrified to die. His fear stopped him time and time again. Was that his flight response to run away from death, or his fight response to live and push forward.

Maybe he was fighting for his Mom. But, he could be fighting to keep her financially well and just give in.

Was continuing to live fighting against everyone else, or was dying fighting to escape.

The cold wind on top of the school definitely made it feel like flying. Izuku looked down at the ground and breathed in deeply. He wasn't going to do it today. He didn't plan on it. He was just here to try and decipher that question once more. And once again, he found nothing. Izuku pulled out his notebook and found his future goals list.

"Be a hero" was once again rewritten for the millionth time after being erased. The book was snapped shut, and he walked away.

…

"_I saw that list."_

"_You did? When?"_

"_The night at your place. I'm sorry for snooping, but I just thought it was your journals. I didn't expect to find it. I'm just happy it was all wrong. Especially the love part, " Momo said, pecking his lips._

"_Yeah, thank goodness. I used to believe it was hopeless. So did others."_

…

No. There was absolutely no possible way. Not in a million years. Izuku whipped his head back and forth, making sure no one in the hallway was looking in his direction. For once, it was actually lucky that everyone did their best to ignore him. Izuku shoved his upper half in his locker and looked it over again.

_Hi Izuku,_

_You don't know me, and I don't really know you either. I've only seen you around school. I've seen how people treat you, and I'm sorry that I haven't spoke out against it. I was too scared. But, I'd really like to meet you. In person, I mean. You've always been really sweet to everyone, even if they don't like you or they avoid you. And...honestly I think you're really cute. I know you probably won't believe this letter. You'll think it's just one big prank. But, if you would just give it a chance, I'll be at the coffee shop just down the street from school. _

Izuku shook his head. It was a prank. It had to be. Every girl in school either sided along with Katsuki and his group thinking that he was a freak, or they did their absolute best to ignore him. Either that, or they didn't even know Izuku existed. It was a prank. All Izuku had to do was throw the note away, go home, and just be happy that he didn't get beat up that day. Everything would be fine.

…

"Damn it." Izuku walked down the street towards the cafe. "No. No it's a trap." Then he turned around. "But this is my only chance." And then he turned around again. "What am I saying? I have no chance." And then he turned around again.

This went on for about fifteen minutes.

"Okay Izuku, just think. What happens if it's fake?" He listed the items off in his head: '_I get the shit beat out of me, I lose all hope in love, and I die alone...I was probably going to do that anyway. _And if it was real: _I somehow get a girlfriend, I find a new reason to live, I get married, have children that hopefully have their mother's quirk, and live a much better life.'_

...He would take his chances. Izuku lifted his foot to take a step towards his future.

...And ran away from the coffee shop.

...Only to be pulled into another alley.

Izuku tumbled across the asphalt as he was thrown to the ground. Izuku looked up to see the red eyes and sparks. "It always pays to have a contingency plan. Who would have thought these extras would actually make a good plan?"

…

_*Cough* *Cough*_

Izuku limped his way across the sidewalk, bloody, bruise, and burned. He was so stupid. He was so damn stupid. What the hell was he thinking? All he had to do was go home. But no, he just had to think he had a chance. Izuku leaned against a building and looked up at the people passing by. No one was even looking at him. Was he just that invisible to everyone? Izuku made his way to a nearby park, and sat on the rim of the fountain. Children, their parents, couples, other people, all just...walked by.

No one cared.

No one ever would.

Couldn't they see? There was a boy, broken both physically and emotionally , sitting out in the open. Was it because of how plain he was? Or, did they not want to get involved? Did they somehow know he was quirkless?

Or maybe...he really didn't exist. At least, not to the rest of the world. He was a mistake that only few could see.

Isolation was something Izuku was accustomed to. But, he never thought it would be that bad. So bad that no one in the world wanted to be around him. Izuku lowered his head as he pulled out his current journal from his bag. He opened his list and glared at the final item on the paper. He yanked his pencil out from the bag, and violently began scratching and stabbing at the last option.

Isolation was a ten letter word that, to Izuku, meant loneliness.

And so was quirkless.

That barrier, that defect, that _disease_ he was born with was a death sentence. Izuku launched one last jab at the paper, but accidentally jammed it into the hand holding the paper. He seethed with pain and grunted through his teeth. He pulled the pencil away to see a bleeding hole right next to his thumb...and he didn't mind.

In fact, it was...distracting from his emotional pain.

'_No!'_ Izuku shook his head. He had heard about self harm. He couldn't. It wasn't healthy, and it would just make it all worse. Luckily, Izuku was able to follow his own advice correctly. He never indulged in physical self harm.

...Mental self harm however, was a whole different story.

…

_"And then, what started out as the worst day of my life…"_

…

"You want a quirk so bad? Well, I have an idea. Head on up to the roof, and take a swan dive off the roof of the building. Hopefully, you'll get a quirk in your next life."

...

_Izuku felt Momo clench his shirt and tighten her hold on him. Over the course of the stories, they had changed positions and now Izuku was the one holding her. He felt hot tears hit his neck and raised a brow in confusion. "You know, I was the one that I expected to cry throughout this. What's the matter?"_

"_I hate him. Damn it I hate him so much."_

_She was swearing. That was never good. "I do too."_

"_Then why is he still here? Why does he still go to school here?"_

"_Because I want him to."_

"_But, why?"_

"_...I don't know. A lot of things. I want to prove myself to him. I want to watch as I prove him and everyone else wrong. He was their at my past, he's here in my present, and I still want him here in my future. I want to see him change, more than anybody. I want to put him on a better path."_

"_What, do you pity him?"_

"_...In a way. But, I also know that he doesn't need or want my pity, or anyone else's. That's what makes him so strong, or at least one way. But, he took it too far. It got to his head." Izuku sighed, "I don't know Momo. I really don't know. He's always been my obstacle to overcome. The Goliath to my David. We're both important pieces to one another's story. We both wanted to get rid of the other. I hated him and didn't want to see him. He wanted to go to U.A and never see me again. But, it didn't turn out that way. Even if I got him expelled, he'd come back in one way or another, just as if I left for whatever reason. We're linked, whether we like it or not. Just like how we're linked...except the romance part. That's purely for us."_

"_You're insane. That doesn't make any sense."_

"_Yes. I am. I know I should turn him in, but I cannot and will not do it. He's going to make a great hero. Hopefully, he can be a better person before that happens. If he doesn't, then he's going to be massively disappointed in his career. And I'll be there...but I won't save him."_

"_Do you still want to be his friend again?"_

"_...That's a question that I don't know the answer to, and one that I won't be able to figure out tonight."_

"_The answer should be no."_

"_...I know."_

_Momo lifted her head and kissed him. "I love you."_

"_I love you too. But, what was that for?"_

"_I just wanted you to hear it."_

"_I'll always want to hear those words. Which reminds me...the words I never wanted to hear..._

_..._

"Be a hero?...No, I think not."

…

"_He...He told you 'No'_?"

"_The first time, yeah." Izuku could sense that Momo was going to bear negative feelings towards All Might for what he did, but he decided to continue. Hopefully, Momo would realize that All Might more than makes up for his first answer later on that same fateful day. "Do you remember when I said that working out would have just made me physically worse? Well, there was another reason."_

…

Seven words. Seven words was all it took to destroy Izuku Midoriya's world. Or, more accurately, his fantasy. He knew. He had known since the moment his pencil touched his very first hero notebook. It was a lie. It was all one big lie, a deception, an illusion, a _fantasy_ to he had used to hide from reality. His world went black around him. He didn't want to look at it.

He couldn't be a hero.

Even All Might thought so.

All Might was all that Izuku had. He was the only foundation to everything Izuku did. All Might was the generator giving power to Izuku's dream world. But it was all gone. All Might was still speaking to him, but all Izuku could hear were muffled noises. In his mind, he could see the ground, sky, everything the eye could see crack and crumble to nothing but dust. And then, he was gone.

All Might had walked out the door, and left Izuku on the rooftop. He didn't move. He didn't speak. He hardly even breathed. It was all over. For his whole life, Izuku had been pretending that he had a chance at life, that he had a real reason to live. His notebooks, posters, videos...it was all the equivalent of closing his eyes, plugging his ears, and screaming to keep everything else out.

Izuku scrambled, clawed, and dug for anything to keep him going. He was begging for just one iota of hope…

Nothing.

All that remained was the moving husk of a body on a rooftop.

...Rooftop.

…

_"I didn't train, because somewhere, in the depths of my mind...I knew it was a dream. I knew I wouldn't ever be a hero. I just needed a distraction. I couldn't handle it. If I didn't have my journals...I honestly wouldn't be here right now. To think, a bundle of paper and scribbles saved my life."_

_Momo looked over to her desk and saw one. She had kept one for herself, with Izuku's permission of course. _

_They were now her favorite books._

_..._

_"Take a swan dive off the roof of the building."_

Izuku slowly turned his head toward the edge of the building. Out of all days, out of all places for All Might to leave him…At that point, even the universe was telling him it was his time to go. Izuku took a step forward.

*_**BOOM***_

Izuku was stopped by the noise. His eyes widened as smoke billowed from a few blocks away. "Another attack!" He rushed to the door and placed his hand on the handle. Just as he was about to turn it, he stopped.

_"Be a hero?...No, I think not."_

Oh, right.

Izuku's hand shook as it left the doorknob. He clutched his head and took a step back. If he was going to do it, he had to do it now. Once he walked out that door, he knew he would chicken out if he tried again later. He looked at his life over the last 10 years. He dug deeper and deeper into for some reason to walk through that door. All he could find was once answer.

Being dead would be better than being here.

He had no point here. It was his own fault. He had blocked everything else out, and made being a hero his only meaning in life. And now that it was gone, he had nothing. Izuku turned around and made his way over to the railing. It looked high enough, especially if he went head first.

It'd be quick. It would only hurt for a second. He had endured plenty of pain throughout his life. So, what was one more time?

Being in pain...It was a fitting way to go.

Izuku opened up his backpack to get out his journal. He shook leave a note. Not that anyone would care enough to read it, except…

"...Mom." Guilt shrouded over his mind. "No. Not again." She always stopped him, even if she didn't know it. No matter if she didn't believe in him, he just couldn't do it to her. But...today…

Izuku opened up the front porch of his backpack and pulled out an envelope. He had forgotten. He already wrote a letter...a backup plan. It was about a year ago on a really, _really _bad day. He didn't like to think about it, but it ended with him in a dumpster. Izuku backed out of it, but he kept the letter.

...He should give it to her. Not in person of course, but he should leave it at the door. It would be better for her that way instead of finding it with the body.

_'You're just going to chicken out again if you leave.'_

Izuku shook his head and walked out the door, not knowing where he would unconsciously walk to.

…

_"Do you still have the letter?"_

_"No. It was destro_yed _in the sludge attack."_

_"What did it say?"_

_"To be honest, I don't really remember. When I wrote it, I was a mess. It was mostly just emotional rambling and chicken scratch. I never opened it."_

_"...When are you going to tell your mom any of this?"_

_"One step at a time."_

…

Well, that couldn't have gone worse.

Not only did he do nothing but make the situation worse by becoming another hostage, but then he was scolded by the heroes. It wasn't just All Might; now the rest of the heroes believed him to be nothing but a nuisance in the way. And then Bakugou decided to yell at him even more.

Why did he have to be so useless?

The flowing of the wind and waving trees were the only things to break the silence. Izuku sat in the sunset, not even wanting to continue the trek home. He didn't want to go home. He didn't want to go anywhere. He didn't want to be anywhere.

He didn't want to be anything anymore.

The letter was gone, and his mom was probably home now anyway. Maybe it was better that way. No one cared or knew he existed in the first place. So, maybe leaving without final words would be more fitting.

He came into the world without a voice.

And he'll leave it without one.

He'll disappear. He'll cease to exist, and no one will even notice. No one will remember. Izuku Midoriya will have never happened. The only hope he had was the slightest echo of a memory of one word.

Deku.

He wasn't afraid anymore. There was nothing left for him here in this life. So hopefully Bakugou was right, and he would be dealt a better hand next time. Izuku took a step down the street towards the end.

**"I am here!"**

…

_"Everything turned around after that."_

_"...That was it wasn't it. If All Might was just a minute later, you would have left that spot. And you would be…"_

_"Dead and forgotten."_

_"Never forgotten."_

_"You can say that now. But, back then...no. A part of me couldn't help but think that I ran into the sludge villain to save Bakugou to become a martyr in some way. Like it was my last chance to be seen as heroic._

_"... I'm so sorry Izuku."_

_"It didn't stop there."_

…

_All Might, I'm sorry but I can't do it. I can't live up to what you expect of me. There's plenty of amazing people out there who can succeed you, but it's me. I'm not good enough. I never have been good enough for anything. I'm so sorry for disappointing you and overworking myself. I didn't do what I was told and it could make everything worse. I won't say anything about One For All. I promise. I doubt I'll be doing much speaking soon anyway. I'm so sorry. _

Izuku's thumb had been hovering over the send button for ten minutes. The pressure had been getting to him. How could he, Deku, be All Might's successor? He was going to fail. He was going to ruin everything. All Might would take his quirk back, and Izuku would be right back where he started. All he would have done was waste All Might's time.

The school day didn't help either.

**(A Few Hours Earlier)**

Izuku was slammed against the wall and lifted off his feet. "You're still fuckin' applying nerd? I saw the papers."

"I-I...I am!"

Katsuki growled as sparks began burning Izuku's collar. Izuku panicked and grabbed onto Katsuki's wrists and pried them off. He shoved the bully away and bolted. Katsuki sat back in confusion. "When the hell did that runt get the strength to do that?" Katsuki ran around the corner of the building to see Izuku was nothing but a dot in his vision. "And when the fuck did he get faster?"

**(Present)**

He might have gotten away that time, but what the other times in the future. What about if Izuku somehow did get into U.A. He couldn't go to another school with Katsuki. He was dead if he did.

_*BRRR*_

Izuku's phone suddenly vibrated, and saw that he received a text from All Might.

_Young Midoriya I know you probably still feel down about today. I just don't want you overwork yourself. You have more greatness and potential in you than anybody, and I don't want you to accidentally hurt that by trying too hard. You have the PLUS ULTRA mindset. Just a bit too PLUS ULTRA. Which isn't a bad thing. It's just something else that shows me how right you are to receive my power. Just get some rest Young Midoriya. You're a quick learner and you exceed my expectations time and time again. Don't let such a small hiccup drag you down._

Before Izuku knew it, tears were falling onto his screen. He deleted his text, and sent back a thank you text. He still didn't have confidence in himself, but...that helped.

…

_"How long did it last?"_

_"Honestly, it stopped when I met you."_

_"Cute, but what's the real answer."_

_"I'm not kidding. When I first started school, Bakugou, USJ, the Sports Festival, it all put pressure on me. It got to me. Every time I felt like I wasn't living up to All Might's expectations. But, then I met you. I found someone I could really understand and who could understand me. At least, understand the situation. Life just felt better when you entered it. I wouldn't trade anything for Iida and Uraraka. But, you made everything special. You make waking up exciting...in more ways than one." She pinched him for that. "You're everything to me. You've saved me even more than you know. That's the thing about these stories. I may be the protagonist, but you're the hero. You're the one that gives it a happy ending."_

_Izuku pressed his forehead onto Momo's. "I don't have a story without you, at least not one I want to read. I know who I am and where I came from. But, that doesn't matter anymore. It made me who I am today. And I really like who I am. I didn't before I met you. Don't dwell on my past for me. Just keep me grounded in the present, so our future together is even better."_

_Momo wiped away tears and cupped Izuku's face. "But I could have lost you before I ever found you."_

_"You have me now and forever. That's all that matters."_

_Momo chuckled, "Oh goodness you're so cheesy."_

_"Yeah, but you love me."_

_"That I do. I love you so much."_

_The couple brought their lips together, embracing the other and not letting go for the rest of the night and all through the next morning._


	46. Fix It

Momo combed her hand through Izuku's hair as he slept in the morning rays flowing through the drapes. She should've been getting ready for school to begin for the next term, but she was understandably emotionally spent. She was ahead of the lessons anyway, and due to being her study partner, so was Izuku. So, his lockdown wouldn't hurt him too much academically speaking.

She had already texted Kyouka to pass along to her teachers that she was taking a sick day. "Mmph." Izuku began stirring and moving. "What time is it?"

"7:45."

"Ah!" Izuku shot up out of the bed and began rushing around. "We're going to be so late! We have to-...Oh, right." He was on lockdown...for four days. Izuku sat back down in a slouch on the bed. "I completely forgot I royally screwed up."

A pair of arms wrapped around his torso and Momo propped her head on his shoulder as she enveloped his back. "You did what most would have done years ago."

"That doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. You held strong against it all for so long. As bad as it sounds, you needed this. If you didn't let go, then it would have dragged you down for the rest of your life. The pressure and weight you've felt for all this time is finally lightened. And now you have me to help you carry it." She softly kissed his temple. "Don't forget that."

Izuku sighed, closed his eyes, and leaned back into her. "...It...I-It did feel good to finally hit him. Like, a _real _hit."

"Darling you're the lucky one. I'm sure most people that have come in contact with him have wanted to do that."

"Thank you. For being here, for listening last night, for helping me, for being you, for...for everything." Izuku turned himself around and hugged Momo tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Both leaned back and gave the other a loving kiss. Momo brought their foreheads together and the two sat in a comfortable silence.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"I'm staying with you today."

"And ruin your perfect attendance record?"

"You're far more important. And even I can say that the opening ceremony is boring. Besides, a perfect attendance record won't matter in the long run. Unless you want to be alone."

Izuku shook his head, "Nah. I was alone for too long. You're just what I need."

Momo chuckled, "I could've told you that."

"Ha ha," Izuku said sarcastically. He stood up and stretched. "I better get started on the chores though. Lockdown requires I clean up around here."

"...All Might is going to ask questions. No doubt he told Inko too."

"...I know."

"What are you going to say?"

Izuku sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I-I don't know. What should I do?"

Momo's eyes widened, "Izuku these are very serious things. Inko will be more worried than ever, not to mention she'll feel guilty. All Might will too."

"So they shouldn't know?"

"No, they should it's just... It's a lot Izuku. A whole lot. Telling them isn't like revealing you were the one that melted the gazebo when you were five and blaming it on the nanny."

"...Is that a personal experience?"

"Moving on! It's more serious than that. This...it changes things. Telling your parents that you were suicidal makes everything different."

Izuku nodded, "Yeah. Y-Yeah it does. Oh no she's going to send me to therapy."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"I spent my entire life refusing to tell anybody, even you. So by the time I'm ready to tell a therapist I don't know my past, they'll be reading it from my last will and testament. Besides, I can't tell them my past. I can't run around telling people I used to be quirkless. My fake backstory can only work for so long. It's already suspicious enough.'

Momo shook her head and stood with him. She reached out to her partner. "I know it's hard Izuku. But it could hel-"

"I'm not going!" Momo retracted her hand in shock. "I-I-... I-I'm not going. Please." Izuku turned back to her. "Sorry, I just...No. No I'm not going to therapy."

"Therapy isn't showing a weakness."

"I don't care." Momo pursed her lips and looked at the determination in her boyfriend's eyes. He was absolutely dead set on not going to any form of therapy. It was strange to remember just how stubborn Izuku was. As much as it made her want to vomit, he was almost as stubborn as Bakugou. He would never accept the idea that he needs professional help. Izuku's idea of what a hero should be was nailed down, welded, and infused into his brain. And to him, a hero would never need therapy. A hero would be able to take anything thrown at him. Izuku not only has Bakugou's stubbornness, but he also has his trait of thinking he doesn't need help. Last night was one of the few times Izuku willingly opened up about his problems, and accepted help with them. At least help from Momo exclusively.

And all it took was for him to mentally snap and beat the ever living Hell out of Bakugou.

...Maybe stubborn was too light of a word.

"Okay. You don't want to go to therapy? Fine. But you have to help yourself if you won't let anyone else help you."

"I have you to help me."

"Yes, you do. But I can't do everything. Hugs, kisses, and kind words won't heal you completely. You need to change yourself."

"I have changed. _You _changed me. Momo, I finally like myself. After 11 years, I finally can look in the mirror and be proud of what I see."

"And I can't be happier. But if you were completely healed, then last night wouldn't have happened."

Izuku shook his head in confusion, "I thought you wanted me to be angry with Bakugou."

"I wanted you to see him for what he really was instead of always defending and forgiving him."

"I have. I've always seen what he really was."

"And now you finally showed that. You're at a fork in the road now Izuku. Where you take your "relationship" with Bakugou depends on your choice here. Do you not want to go to therapy? Do you want to fix it all yourself? Then you have to choose here. Whether you push Bakugou away forever, or give him one last chance is the first step."

Izuku nodded in acceptance, "Yeah...Yeah you're right."

"But, if you give him one last chance and he doesn't accept it or even try in the slightest, it's done. It's over. He's out of your life for good, do you understand?"

Izuku nodded once more.

"And if your previous behaviour surrounding him continues, then you will go to therapy. I'll even get a psychology degree if I have to just to get you to see a professional. I never want to force you to do anything you don't want to, but this is too much to simply let you take the wheel all alone."

"Okay." Izuku felt that there was no point in arguing. Momo was the authority when it came to his life. "...You don't want me to give him a last chance do you?"

"No. Not in the slightest. He doesn't deserve it."

"Yeah, h-he doesn't."

"...But you're still going to give it to him, aren't you?"

"I-I don't know. Honestly, probably not."

Momo sighed, "I'll support you, but I won't like it. Not until he-...Excuse me?"

"I think I'm done. No more." Momo looked to Izuku in shock. That was not what she was expecting. Izuku was the forgive and forget type. Heroes shouldn't hold grudges and all that. Momo fully expected that now that Izuku had finally let out all of his steam, he would apologize to Katsuki and try to move on. Izuku wanted Bakugou to be his friend, and Izuku was very persistent. He wouldn't just stop.

"Really? Just like that?"

"Last night...wasn't my proudest moment. But, I can't deny what it was. I can't just forget what all that anger was about. I also can't forget that he almost had no idea what I was talking about at first. It was like all those years bullying me was nothing but an afterthought. It was like asking him to remember if he brushed his teeth on a specific day five years ago. He doesn't care. S-So...why should I? We're grown up now. I might've said he's always going to be a part of my life, but that doesn't mean he has to always be present in it."

"But you said he'll always find a way back."

"Yeah, he will. But at the right time. Like when I'm the one ranked number one...or when I graduate top of the class above my girlfriend."

"Very funny...and not happening." Momo chuckled and wrapped her arms around Izuku, and he did the same to her. She could tell that no matter what Izuku said, he was still conflicted. His heroic soul was screaming at him to let it all go and try to forgive Katsuki. And the side of him that emerged the night prior (and hopefully the rational part of his brain) was telling him to bury the hatchet and go their separate ways. There was still no telling what Izuku would do once he came face to face with Katsuki. "Izuku?"

"Hm?"

"We're trainwrecks."

Izuku laughed, "I'm far more of a trainwreck than you."

"We'll just blame it on our parents," She joked.

"Hopefully we do better."

Momo raised a brow and leaned back to look Izuku in the eye. "Us with kids?"

Izuku's eyes widened. "U-Uh I mean, i-it was a part of the joke. N-Not that I don't want kids with you! Not now of course but I-"

Momo stopped his muttering by kissing his cheek. "I get it. Me too." The two smiled at each other. "...But, if we were to have children in the future, what kind of child would you want?" Talking about the future was something that became scary as time went on at U.A as more and more troubles sought them out. But, this was an idea that Momo actually wanted to entertain. It was far too early to think about having children, but it would be nice to think about.

"What kind? Well human for one."

"Very funny. I'm serious though. For instance, do you want a son or daughter?"

Izuku decided to take the conversation seriously and thought about his answer. "Daughter."

"Really?" Momo said, her eyebrows going up.

"Yeah. W-Why, is that bad?"

"No! Of course not. It's just weird to think about. A very good weird though." Momo watched as Izuku grew a smile in agreement. She could see him piecing together what their child and future would look like. His smile only grew wider. A happy train of thought like that was exactly what he needed. "C'mon. Let's get something to eat and get back to bed. If you haven't noticed, we barely slept last night."

Izuku solemnly nodded, "Yeah, but I have chores to do on lockdown. I have to face the music at some point."

"Bakugou?"

"No. Iida." Momo chuckled as they walked out the door and down to the first floor. Most of the class sat around the common area waiting for their time to head to the opening ceremony. Katsuki was already vacuuming down floors and cushions. He was still covered in a few bandages and a near blank expression adorned his face. "I better find the chore list."

"No need." Tenya suddenly appeared behind the two. "Bakugou has already told Mr. Aizawa that he would do all chores alone. I do however disagree with this notion. I believe you deserve due punishment you rough-housing heathen! Now not only are you two going to miss class, but also the opening ceremony. Are you stupid!? We just obtained our licenses, and now yo-"

"Enough Iida." Momo halted his tirade. "He's on lockdown, and he didn't throw the first punch. He's heard enough from Mr. Aizawa, and he doesn't need anymore from you. You're class president, not the teacher." As Iida began stumbling on his words, Momo dragged Izuku away towards the kitchen. Anyone else that was planning on asking about the fight immediately backed away and went back to their business.

"He's not wrong."

"Iida is great. But, sometimes he just needs to take the stick out of his ass." Izuku's eyes widened in shock at the phrase. "Sorry. Sorry I just-"

"Defensive girlfriend; I get it. Thank you. But it's really not Iida's fault. It's not like he knows why we fought. If he did, I'm sure he would at least somewhat understand."

The two entered the kitchen and Momo leaned against the counter. "I know. I guess some of my anger is still lingering."

"It's not going away for a long time. You just kind of learn to control it...Or you snap and beat the crap out of a blonde."

"Maybe I can use Toga," Momo joked. "So no chores for you?"

Izuku nodded, "Yeah. Do you think he did it as an apology?"

"That's not going to make up for it all."

"Obviously, but at least it's a sign that he's actually sorry...Or he took the chores so we don't have to interact with one another."

Momo shrugged, "Maybe both."

_*BRRRRZZZT*_

Izuku's phone vibrated and he pulled it out of his pocket. He lifted it up and grimaced. "All Might is coming to talk to me after school is over."

"And what are you going to tell him?"

Izuku closed his eyes and shook his head. "I-I don't know. I really don't want to talk or think about it anymore. Last night was my limit. Distract me."

"With what?"

"Uh...Ask me about our kid again."

"Oh, okay." Momo pulled out two stools at the kitchen counter and the two sat down. "What features will they have? Do you think they'll have my hair or your hair?"

"A mix. Either curly black hair or straight green hair."

Momo smiled, "What about our eyes?"

"Well, the m-more I think about it, this could all change depending on if they get a quirk that changes it."

Momo leaned her head on her hand. "True. Just imagine having a child that looked nothing like us. Like if they had white hair and red eyes." Momo laughed, but realized Izuku had a serious look on his face. "Izuku?"

Momo could just barely hear Izuku say under his breath, "_Their quirk." _Oh. "What if they don't have a quirk because of me?"

"Izuku, it'll be-"

"I'm already strange. Both of my parents had quirks, yet I came out with nothing. I was a defect. What if their life is ruined because their dad was an anomaly and was randomly born without a quirk? I don't thin-"

Momo stopped Izuku before he could go on a muttering spree by cupping both sides of his face. "Izuku. Stop."

"But what if-"

"Who cares? If they don't have a quirk, we'll never let what happened to you happen to them. Ever. You know that. You were rejected from being a quirkless hero, so change that for them. That is, if they even want to be a hero. You also seem to forget that there was never, and still isn't, anything wrong with you. And nothing will be wrong with our children."

Izuku gave a shaky laugh, "This distraction didn't help, did it?"

"No. But, it was fun at first."

"...I don't want to tell All Might everything."

"Then tell him at least something. You're his student, successor, and surrogate son. I don't want to sugar coat this either, so remember this. He deserves to know the mental state of the boy he's placing his legacy on. He doesn't deserve to suddenly learn years later that the boy he gave his power to has far more issues than he knows."

"Issues...I hate that word."

"But, is it wrong?"

"...No."

"And does All Might deserve to know?"

"Yeah. I still think I would rather go to class than deal with this anymore."

Momo patted his cheek and went to the fridge. "We've been ahead of the lesson plans for weeks now. We won't miss anything important."

…

"Holy crap we missed everything." As evening arrived and the rest of Class 1-A was lounging about the dorms, the couple began learning about all of the apparent important things they had missed that day. Granted, really it was only a single thing that they missed, but it sounded highly important. Apparently the students would undergo work studies if they so desired. The problem with that was the couple had no idea what it was. And no one was allowed to tell them. They were already not allowed to tell Izuku, but Mr. Aizawa had said to keep it quiet to Momo because she would surely tell him about it. "Now we really are behind."

Momo sighed, "Just a little. We'll be just fine. I'll be back in class tomorrow and they can't hide it forever. We'll simply learn it when you get back from lockdown." Izuku slumped his head into Momo's lap as they awaited All Might's arrival to Izuku's bedroom.

"You'll be caught up with everything, but you can't tell me about it. I'll have to make up for everything I miss."

"Izuku, it will be fine. We have something more important to worry about at the moment. So just relax." Momo leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Aw, that's sweet."

"Ah!" Both teens shot up to see a face emerging from the wall and smiling at them.

"So you two are the excitable first years that got into a fight with the other kid. Well, one of you fought. The other got hurt, but whatever. I just wanted to check you out and see what's what."

Izuku raised an eyebrow, "And you are exactly?"

"You'll find out soon enough. The real question is, how am I doing this if you two are on the second floor?

"_Mirio, you're really heavy! You're making it hard to fly. Hurry up!" _A feminine voice came from the other side of the wall.

"Ignore that. All will be answered eventually. Anyway, keep your spirits high!" The face suddenly vanished into the wall without a trace.

Momo blinked a few times and finally said, "Is it bad that I'm not fazed by this in the slightest?"

_*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*_

_"Young Midoriya? I'm not going to enter until I'm completely certain nothing intimate is going on in there."_

Izuku opened the door and All Might walked in. Once the door was closed, All Might sat in Izuku's desk chair and Izuku sat down on his bed. They sat across from one another with Momo to Izuku's side. "So...care to explain yourself?"

"... Would it make you feel better to tell you that I won?"

"A little. Wait, I mean no. I was told that Young Bakugou's injuries were extensive. I have no doubt that Bakugou was the one who started the fight, but that was not simple self defense. I know your history with each other isn't a good one, and he is the blame for it. But, Young Midoriya that was borderline assault. What caused such behavior from you?"

"I was suicidal."

Toshinori gave a small chuckle. "That's definitely what many would call attacking Young Bakugou. But I want a serious answer."

"I gave you one."

All Might squinted, "Young Izuku I-"

"He's not joking." Momo interrupted.

All Might scoffed, still thinking it was some kind of joke. But, he looked at the dead serious gazes of the two teens in front of him. Momo's at him, and Izuku's at the floor. "Are you…? Come on that's…not funny. That's…" Toshinori thought back to Izuku's behavior when he first met the kid. He shoulders were always brought in, no confidence whatsoever. He had no friends, no father, barely any life in his eyes. He was small, scrawny, couldn't defend himself in the slightest, and flinched at nearly everything. For the first few months of training, Izuku was the biggest chatterbox he had ever seen. And while getting to know Inko, she had told him that Izuku barely spoke a word a home. It was only ever small talk or regular pleasantries. It was like Izuku was trying to talk as much as he could before going back into silence for what was left of the 24 hours of the day. He wasn't able to give Izuku even the smallest bit of constructive criticism in his training or the kid looked like he was about to have a heart attack. The pieces all fit the puzzle that All Might was too ignorant to see. "...true, isn't it?"

Izuku nodded. "Last night when he tried to fight me, something just snapped. It all just came flying back and the next thing I knew I was attacking him."

All Might put a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly at a complete loss for words. "I-...You said 'was'. So that means you're not anymore?"

"Yes. I haven't thought that way for a long time." All Might sighed and rolled the chair to be directly in front of Izuku. He brought the boy to his chest and held him tightly. Izuku brought his arms up and returned the hug. Momo gave a small smile at the sight. She could see a few tears brim in All Might's sunken eyes, which she understood why. She cried plenty the previous night. What was strange to her was that Izuku had not cried once in the last 24 hours. In fact, Izuku had not shed a single tear for quite a long time. Being emotional used to be one of his staples. Yet, now he seemed to take everything in stride and move forward. His sheer bluntness with his reveal to All Might was a testament to that. His stutter was slowly disappearing too. It happened once in awhile, mostly when he was embarrassed. But, it used to be much worse.

All Might leaned back and looked to Izuku. "How long?"

"A few years. About 3 or 4. The exact time is hard to pinpoint. But, I'm fine now." Momo nudged his side. "Well, a lot better. I still probably have some things wrong up here," he said, pointing up to his head. "But, all the pressure in my system that had been building up finally released. So I'm good. I think I just need people to talk to about it, and I have that. So I'll be fine. Are you okay?"

Toshinori gave a laugh, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" Izuku merely shrugged. It was going far better than he had expected. "And Young Bakugou…"

And then it went downhill.

"He's not entirely to blame. But, he's the main cause" Momo said. She turned to Izuku, "Sorry, but I needed to say that before you instinctually defended him to any degree."

"That's fair," Izuku agreed.

"He bullied you, correct?" All Might said, getting the teens attention back.

Izuku nodded, "Yeah. It started back when we were abo-" All Might suddenly stood from his chair and began walking to the door. "Wha-? Where are you going?"

"To expel Young Bakugou."

"What!? Okay hold on!" Izuku sped to the door and blocked All Might. "Let's just talk this over for a se-"

*****_**POP* **_

All Might was suddenly in his buff form. He lightly picked Izuku up, placed him out of the way, went back to normal, and walked through the door.

"...What just happened?"

Momo shrugged, "I don't know, but I don't think I'm even going to attempt to stop him." Izuku groaned and ran out the door. He launched Black Whip at All Might and wrapped it around his waist. He dragged the former pro back into the room and closed the door.

"Just wait!"

"Young Izuku he doesn't deserve to be here."

Momo raised her hand, "I agree." Izuku looked at her in exasperation. "Uh, but I'm also a very supportive girlfriend. So hear Izuku out no matter how little sense it makes."

"C'mon, really?"

"That's the best you're getting out of me Darling. Take it or leave it."

Izuku threw his hands up in defeat and continued. "First, you don't have the power to expel anyone. So even if you wanted to, you can't."

All Might nodded in agreement, "True. But, Aizawa and Nezu do. And once they hear that-"

"That what? One of their students is being accused of extreme bullying with no evidence whatsoever except for the word of two students that Mr. Aizawa already has stated he doesn't trust. And from the teacher he doesn't really like. Not only that, but you're accused of favoritism as it is. Your support of me in this situation will just be brushed off as you taking a liking to me. If anything it'll be seen as making excuses to get me out of trouble for the fight."

"Aizawa has seen Bakugou's behavior towards you. And Nezu knows about our situation with One For All. They should believe us."

"Aizawa has also seen me punch Bakugou in the face during finals, and break the rules more than most. Bakugou also hasn't acted out for a while besides last night, and I'm still on his "troublemaker" radar. I'm just as bad as Bakugou in his eyes."

"That's not true."

"To some degree it is."

All Might scoffed and began pacing. Momo pursed her lips. "It's quite frustrating, isn't it?"

"What about your old middle school? Don't they have record of his previous behavior? I'm sure Nezu could go through the files and-"

Izuku shook his head. "No. Bakugou was never formally written up. Actually he was encouraged sometimes. The teachers didn't want to ruin his chances at being a hero. Most of the kids there also wouldn't say anything. They liked Bakugou far more than me."

"There has to be plenty of kids who were just scared to act out. We can find them and ask."

"...I also just don't want Bakugou expelled."

All Might stared at Izuku for a couple of minutes in silence. He tossed up his hands in exasperation and slumped back down in the desk chair. "I-...I don't...Just explain. Just go ahead and explain."

"I want him to watch as I become the number one hero. I want to prove him wrong. I want to see him change in some way. If he can't change then so be it. Hell, I haven't even decided if I want to give him a chance. But...I don't know. It's like I told Momo, if he left I'd be thrown off balance. And I can't afford that right now. It'll be handled, I just don't know how. Except, I know it'll be handled by me. So, just leave it to me. I got this."

"No you don't."

"I agree, no."

"Guys. Please." Izuku looked at the two, awaiting his answer. He knew he wasn't exactly the best person to handle his own bad situation. But, Momo said he needed to fix it himself if he refused to get professional help. So he would. He still had Momo for emotional help just like he promised. But, Momo had done so much for him already and he did nothing. She tried to guide him but he simply continued to ignore his problems. It was his turn to put himself on the right path

...He just wasn't sure which one it was.

"...Fine." All Might shook his head. "I don't agree with this, but I do trust your judgement. As your mentor, I can't hold your hand through everything. I have to let you handle things on your own. I think I haven't helped you enough given our time together, but this is something you clearly want to handle yourself. But, if he acts out one last time, it's over. He's out of here no matter what."

"Okay."

Momo stood and walked to Izuku to grab his hand. "You already know my conditions, and they align with All Might's. Just don't forget-"

"I have you for support. I know. How could I ever forget that?"

"Uh…"

"Don't answer that." Izuku kissed her cheek and and kissed her knuckles. Everything would be okay.

"What about your mother?"

God Damnit.

All Might raised his hand to his chin. "I don't think Bakugou would survive if she found out."

Izuku nodded, "Yeah, Mom's a whole different problem. She should know, but it might just make everything worse. I doubt she'll agree to my terms. And she'll just feel even more guilty than before."

"Guilty? For what?"

"It's a really long story All Might."

"We have time."

Izuku sighed and sat down. "I'll skim over the less important details."

…

After Izuku was done retelling his story, minus the divorce and the fake note, All Might realized it was worse than he thought. "So...on the rooftop...when I told you no…"

"I didn't."

"But you would have. And it would've been my fault."

"It would have been FAR from your fault. You didn't even know who I was, and you didn't exactly lie."

"He kind of did," Momo interjected. "He was quirkless and yet he told you no. It's hypocrisy."

"But, he didn't become a hero until he got the power. He wasn't wrong."

Momo raised an eyebrow, "There are plenty of heroes without combat based quirks. I'm sure a quirkless is possible."

A small smile bloomed on Izuku's face, "I wish the rest of the world had your beliefs."

"She's not wrong." All Might went down on his knees and bowed to Izuku. "I'm so sorry for what I said that day."

"A-All Might I-"

"My pessimistic outlook on life after my injury made me lose sense on what my job was. Not just to those with quirks, but those without. I failed you that day and the consequences could have been catastrophic. I'll never wake up another day without my actions weighing heavy on my heart."

Izuku got down onto his knees in front of All Might. "As much as I believe you shouldn't apologize, I've come to learn we share a lot of traits. So I know you won't accept being not guilty of anything. I guess I know how you can make it up to me." All Might raised his head and looked at Izuku. "Train me to be the best hero this world has ever seen."

All Might chuckled as he brought Izuku in for another hug. "Deal."

"Also, never break my mom's heart or your stomach won't be the only thing missing."

All Might nodded, "Fair enough. But, speaking about your mother. Let's get back on topic. Are we telling her?"

"Actually, she might already know." Both turned to Momo in confusion.

"What do you mean Momo?"

"Well, back in the hospital she came to talk to me. She talked about how your behavior terrified her and she was afraid that some nights you wouldn't come back. She was also afraid to walk into your room at times, afraid of what she might see. She talked about all the things she knew you were hiding and how you faked smiling a lot. Mother's intuition and all that."

"O-Oh boy."

"And you did promise no more secrets, right?"

Izuku bit his lip in concentration, "... I'll talk to her. I can't ask to leave the dorms so suddenly, so I'll ask tomorrow. I'll go alone this time."

_*BZZZT*_

Toshinori pulled out his phone and looked it over, "Damn. Staff meeting. I have to go." He looked to Momo. "I trust you'll take care of him?"

"Better than anyone."

Toshinori nodded and ruffled Izuku's hair and looked him in the eyes. "Thank you for telling me this my boy. We'll work through it all, and I'll be right beside you." Izuku nodded, and Toshinori took his leave. As he got to the first floor, he began lamenting on everything.

All Might thought that when All For One was behind bars, things would become so much simpler. How exactly was he so dead wrong?"

"Damn dust!"

Toshinori turned to see Katsuki vigorously dusting window sills and corners. The boy turned to see All Might looking at him. "All Might…" Began walking to the exit. "Wait, are yo-?"

"I suggest you get back to work. You're on lockdown," Toshinori responded coldly.

"I know he told you. And I know about his quirk...or at least I think I do. I'm not going to say anything. And about Deku I-"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I suggest you finish your chores before Aizawa finds out you're slacking." All Might opened the door and exited.

Complicated indeed.

**(3 Days Later)**

_"Do you think you can subtly leave your phone on and I can listen to the lessons?"_

"No, Izuku. You're not allowed to hear in on any lessons. Aizawa's orders. Besides, you should be focused on talking to your mother today. You're lucky Mr. Aizawa even allowed you to leave at all. All Might had to pull a billion strings just to get Aizawa to consider the idea."

_"So you cross the line at breaking the rules to actually learn something?"_

Momo raised a brow and pursed her lips, "Hmm...Yep. Have a good day, and good luck. I love you."

Izuku groaned over the phone, _"Love you."_

Momo ended the call and put her phone in her skirt pocket. Izuku was still on edge about missing out on school, but she knew he would be fine. The lessons for the last couple of days had been fairly basic all except for the work study. She had learned a fairly vague description of it under the promise that she wouldn't tell either of the "delinquents".

She had no idea where she was going to go for it. It would be nice to go back to Edgeshot. She did miss him. But, it would also be good to learn from other pros. She had time, however. So as long as nothing too exciting happened, she could focus her thoughts on it.

Mr. Aizawa stood from his desk and addressed the class. "I was going to wait for Midoriya to get back, but the work studies are getting closer and we'll soon be on a time crunch. So, here to talk about the work studies in depth are students that have experienced it all. They are the third year students that reign over all of the others. We call them..." The door to the class opened, revealing three students. And one was alarmingly familiar to Momo. "...The Big Three."

'_The Big Three? I'm sure I've heard that somewhere before. It seems mystery face was one of them.'_

Aizawa motioned to the students, "How about some introductions?" The raven haired teen on the far right stepped forward and gave off an intense stare...and then immediately turned around and faced the wall.

"I can't do it. Only their heads turned into potatoes, but they're bodies were normal. It just made it worse. I want to go now."

The beautiful bluenettte of the group stepped forward. "Don't worry about Tamaki. He's got the heart of a flea. I'm Nejire Hado. And…" Nejire suddenly took in a very large breath, and shot forward to Shoji. "What's with the mask? It's so weird." Before Shoji could answer, Hado was already gone to the next student. "Can you support your weight with your tail? Do those finger pads make it hard to hold things? Todoroki, how did you get your burn? Ashido, can your horns grow back? Can they move? Yaoyorozu, are your breasts so big and everything else so lean because your body needs a place to store all it's extra fat for creation?"

"What!? Of course no-...Oh my God do they?"

Shouta looked to Mirio, "Is she always like this?"

"Eh, kinda. Sorta. All the time. Don't worry Eraserhead! I'm the main event here!" Mirio put himself in front of his friends and thrust his body forward with a hand to his ear. "Alright! So what's the outlook here!" The whole class sat in silence and confusion. "Grim! Very grim! That wasn't what I was looking for."

Momo's eyes widened. '_One is extremely socially awkward and shy. The other has a hyperactive quirk obsession with a seemingly endless air supply. And the last one has an odd amount of charisma and social optimism about hero work. It's like if Izuku split into three people.'_

"Hey, I get it. Three random third years show up to talk about a work study that you're not even required to do. It doesn't really matter to a lot of you. But, you all got your licenses as first years. Now that's impressive. You guys like action don't ya? And since this talk isn't going so well, how about we really get you all interested. How about you take on me?"

"Wait, what?" Most of the class said.

Mirio turned to Aizawa, "C'mon Eraserhead. Don't you think this will give them a real sense of what they should push for in the future?"

"Hmm…"

"You can sleep while we do it if you want."

"Everyone to Gym Gamma."

…

"So who's first?"

Sero raised his brows, "This is actually happening?"

"Sure is!"

Amajiki pressed his head against the far wall, "Mirio, don't do this. It's clear they aren't aiming for the top right now. You'll just break them."

Nejire was moving Mina's horns back and forth with one hand and twirling Kyouka's jacks with the other. "Yeah! Who knows, they might quit after being discouraged. Someone's done that before, didja know that? Huh?"

Tokoyami raised a hand, "Now hold on. We've fought against real villains and heroes, even if the heroes had handicaps."

Kirishima nodded, "Yeah, we've done a lot more than most people our age. Yet, you really think were weak."

Mirio gave a bright smile. "No. You're not weak. You just don't know what you're doing. So who's first? Let's see who has some spirit!"

Momo wanted to go first, but she had no idea what Togata could do. She was far more combat efficient than she was at the beginning of the year. She could confidently say she was one of the most well rounded students of their year when it came to skills in combat and support. But, she still liked to have some idea of what she was going into before fighting unless she had some kind of idea of the dangers. But...wasn't that the point of being a hero? Taking on fights against villains who they had no clue what they could do. And Izuku was just like that. He ran into everything with no remorse...Whether that was brave or stupid, the jury was still out on that one.

'_I guess I'll have to flip that coin.'_

"Me!" Everyone turned to look at Momo as she walked forward to Mirio.

Kirishima's eyes widened, "Yaoyorozu? Really? I didn't expect you...like, at all."

"I guess we're on the same page then."

Mirio spread his arms out and smirked, "Ho! Ho! So you approach me? Even after the warnings of my comrades?"

"I can't beat you if I'm far away."

"Ah, very well then. I accept your cheap provocation. Let the battle commence."

Momo took a wide stance and bent at the knees. She rolled up her sleeves to be above her biceps. Multiple glowing spots appeared over her exposed areas.

_'Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to end well?'_

"Alright! Come at me!"

…

Izuku opened the door to his old apartment and walked in. He walked by his old room and saw the door was ajar. He looked at his window and frowned. Reliving his past reminded him of all the terrible and lonely nights he had here. He had his mom, who tried to help. But, he pushed her away a lot. He was afraid of her finding out anything. It was ironic that he was finally there to tell her everything.

"Izuku?" Said teen turned his head to see his mother standing at the end of the hall.

"H-Hey Mom...Can we talk?"


	47. Change

**A/N: So, apparently some people thought I was going to leave Izuku out of the Overhaul Arc...****PFFFFFT**** HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *INHALES* ****AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA****! FUCK NO! Why on Earth would I do that!? Izuku literally needs to be in the fucking Arc, and EVERY arc. Because if you haven't noticed, he's the main fucking character!**

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" The screams of Kyouka echoed throughout the gym.

Kaminari's eyes shot open. "GOOD GRIEF HE'S NAKED!"

Mineta nudged Sero on the arm, "Of course it's Jirou who's afraid of a naked man. Am I right fellas!? Am I right fellas!? Hachacha! Men stuff!"

"...What the literal fuck is wrong with you dude?"

_'Just ignore it Momo! Just ignore it Momo!' _She kept her eyes above Mirio's waist and charged forward. _'He can phase. I can work with that...I think.' _She continued her bum rush and leaped through him. She rolled and landed back on her feet, facing back towards Mirio.

"Not too bad. You realized you couldn't hit me so didn't even try. I-"

_*Ting* _

Mirio looked down to see a flashbang missing a pin at his feet. "...Ah, I see what you did there."

_* _**_BANG*_**

Kyouka saw the opening and gave the order, "Long range attackers, fire!" Kyouka sent out soundwaves, Mineta threw balls, Aoyama fired his laser, and Sero shot out his tape.

...Only for Mirio to disappear into the floor.

Momo's eyes widened, "Oh no."

At the back of the room, Aizawa pursed his lips. "As rough as it is, this is the best way to jam this lesson into their heads. Togata is the perfect example of what they should strive to be by the end of their time here…"

Mirio popped up out of the ground in front of Kyouka and grabbed both jacks in one hand. He wrapped them around her and Kaminari, phasing through them to avoid other incoming attacks. He picked up the now tied up duo and threw them at Tokoyami, disappearing under the ground once more.

Dark Shadow appeared and caught Kyouka and Denki before they could fall. A fist suddenly slammed into the avian teen's side, and another to the side of his face. Catching his friends was nothing but a trap to occupy his attention. "Distraction!" Togata vanished back under the ground.

He appeared in front of Aoyama, "Over here!" Yuga fired his stomach laser at the third year, with the beam going right through Mirio. It went past Mirio and hit Mineta instead. The blonde phased his fist into Aoyama's stomach and shook it around. The first year had never felt such discomfort in his life. He clutched his stomach and fell to his knees.

Momo watched as Mirio took down her classmates in mere seconds. Izuku would've loved to see one of the Big Three at work...and also have been slightly terrified like Momo was. _'He's popping out of the ground at high speeds. It's like it's forcing him out. I'm starting to really wish I studied physics instead of anatomy." _

Mirio shot out and flipped over Tsu, grabbing the sides of her head. He flipped back to the ground and flung the frog girl at Mina, crashing her into the other, and vanishing back into the ground. _'He's going after people with long ranged abilities. And that just leaves…" _

Momo could already see a fist appearing below her from the ground. _'...Me." _

"Gotcha!"

**_*POOF*_**

Mirio's fist whiffed through the air, hitting nothing. Smoke replaced his target, who was now nowhere to be seen. "Huh?" A foot appeared from the smoke and was directed towards his face. He phased and it passed through his head. Momo rolled across the ground disappeared into another ploom of smoke. "Well that cool and all, but if I've learned anything from Sir it's…"

Mirio disappeared into the ground, and immediately popped back up facing the opposite direction, a kick flying up into the air. Momo appeared from more smoke was shocked to see Togata already attacking.

"Predicting attacks!"

Momo panicked and "Porcupined". She created needles across her entire body, shooting out of her skin. It was Mirio's turn to panic. "Woah! Woah! Woah! Holy crap!" He made his body intangible again and phased through Momo.

The first year then landed on one foot and pivoted around to attack Mirio in his distraction.

But, two fingers suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. "Poke." They phased through her eyes and a tangible fist rocketed into her stomach. Her ponytail was grabbed and she was thrown across the room.

Aizawa smirked, "... because he's the closest person there is to being the number one hero."

"POWEEERRR!" Mirio posed with leftover smoke covering his genitals. He cracked his knuckles and looked upon the rest of the class. "Looks like brawlers are up next!"

Shouta looked to his side at Todoroki and raised a brow, "You're not even going to try?"

"I didn't get my license. Not to mention the fact that I'm finally getting real sleep, thank you NyQuil, and getting my head back on track. This wouldn't help my recovery. I'm finally mellowing out and I'm staying out of anything too rowdy for a bit."

"Fair enou-"

"I still have my eye on you and Shinso though."

"What?"

"Nothing. Oh look, they lost." Shouta turned back to the battle to see Todoroki was right. In the span of their little conversation, Mirio had already taken down the rest of the class.

"Yep, that's about right. Okay! Everyone go get changed! Remember this spar! This is the kind of prowess I expect from you in the coming years. The sooner the better."

The entire class groaned in pain.

"I'll take it." Shouta shuffled his sleeping bag covered body out the door.

Momo shook her head to get rid of the dizziness. "You really threw me for a loop back there." Momo looked up to see a now clothed Mirio holding a hand out to her. "That was great! Even your flashbang was surprising. Although, my quirk makes it kind of useless saying I can't absorb light into my eyes. But it was still shocking, that's for sure."

"Oh! Uh, thank you." She took his hand and was lifted to her feet.

"And uh, your clothes…" Momo looked down to see holes all over her clothing from her needles. She quickly created a sweatshirt and sweatpants to cover herself with.

"Thanks...again."

" Nah, don't mention it! I mean, you've definitely seen a lot more of me than anyone would be comfortable with," Mirio laughed. "I knew you would be interesting. You're involved with the troublemaker, so I guess it was a given. Speaking of which, where is he?"

"Today is his last of lockdown. He should be back tomorrow. Why?"

Mirio rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I was actually really wanting to meet him. And I wanted to see how he did against me."

"Oh, sorry. He would've loved to meet and go against you. Izuku has been dying to get back to class. We have the weekend until work studies. We could ask Mr. Aizawa to organize another sparring match for you two."

"That'd be great! I've actually had an eye on him for awhile now."

Momo tilted her head, "Really? Why is that?"

"Honestly, it started because of Sir."

"Sir?"

"Oh right! Sorry. I mean Sir Nighteye. He's been my mentor for awhile now. He saw Problem Child win the Sports Festival, and he was suddenly really interested in him and who he was. He called me to keep an eye on him. I asked if he should offer him a request for his internships, but he wasn't sure about him. He wanted me to see how he did during the year. And thanks to Nejire being so nosy, I got all my information from her. I know all about you guys and your interaction with the Hero Killer, your fight with All Might in the finals, his position in class. And word through the grapevine has it that you two were responsible for the takedown of the villain Muscular, and he manifested a second quirk. He's made quite the mark around here."

"Uh, not to be rude. But we just got rid of one stalker."

Mirio shook his hands frantically, "Nononono! It's not like that. More like job searching."

"And has Nighteye explained why Izuku is so important?" Momo wasn't taking any chances when someone decided to randomly take interest in her boyfriend. Who just so happened to be the successor to One For All.

"Eh, not really. I actually can't even tell if he's impressed by him or not. He's kinda stoic like that. It was a little weird too. When I asked what changed his mind about Midoriya, he said it was his fight with Todoroki. He thought he was reckless at first, but then when he stopped breaking his bones and turned it all around, he was suddenly engrossed in the fight. I just have a couple more small tests before I feel like I should introduce him to Sir. I'd like to meet him!" Mirio flashed another million dollar smile. Momo couldn't deny, Mirio's spirit was contagious just like Izuku's. But, someone she didn't know was looking into Izuku extensively. It was an immediate red flag.

"I'll see what Izuku's doing tonight. He's not on campus right now. But, if he's free later he'd be more than happy to meet you."

"Great! Now, I should give a pep talk to the troops" Mirio sarcastically said, gesturing to the rest of 1-A still recovering. He turned around and walked towards them. "So, who's interested about my quirk!?"

…

"Of course we can talk. You can always talk to me honey. Come on." Inko's mother's intuition could instantly tell this was more than just a talk. She had a feeling her worst fear was going to be realized. Years of denying would be undone.

The two walked into the main room, Inko turned back to Izuku. "Tea?"

"No thank you. Can we just sit?" Inko nodded and they moved over to the couch. The mother and son sat side by side. Izuku looked over to his mother and his eyes widened a little. "Have you lost weight Mom?"

"Oh, a little yes. Toshinori does morning exercises, and I decided to start joining him. Over the years I let myself go a bit, and everything's been changing so fast in our lives. I felt that this was a necessary one."

Izuku smiled, "That's great Mom."

"And speaking of over the years, I have a feeling that's what this is all about."

"..."

Inko pursed her lips, "I know about the fight with Katsuki. Now I know I'm the one that's always fretting and worrying over you and telling you to stay out of trouble. But, if what this talk is about, and what the fight was about is what I think it is...then I'm not mad. In fact, if it is what I think it's about then I'm proud of you for knocking some sense into that boy. Figuratively and literally."

Izuku chuckled, but brought back his serious look. "Momo did say that you talked to her in the hospital. And apparently I wasn't as good of an actor as I thought."

"You were far too good at acting Izuku. You were just bad at hiding things. It was only after that did I notice all the flaws in your demeanor." Izuku bit his lip. He was even far more stressed about talking to his mother about this than anyone else. 11 years. Out of anyone that he tried to hide it from the most, it was her. This was Izuku's equivalent of the government deciding to suddenly release all of its secrets to its citizens.

The strangest part of it all, was that this was usually the part where at the very least one of the Midoriya's would start to cry. But, neither shed a single tear. At least, not yet. Instead of sadness, the mother looked rather angry. But not at Izuku. Inko began wringing her hands together. "What did I do Izuku?"

"Huh?"

"How could I have done that to you? One word. I just needed to say one damn word. Look at what I caused."

"Mom you didn't-"

"Don't say that. Don't say to me that it's not my fault. I know it's not all my fault, but I'll be damned if I'm not a major contributor. You asked. My son. My flesh and blood. The little boy who I'd die a million times over for. The little boy who wanted nothing more than to be a hero, asked if he you be a hero. And I said no."

"You didn't say no."

"I did, just not verbally. It didn't matter that I was here. You were still alone. You were all alone for 11 years. Your entire world was falling apart, and I wanted to fix it. But, all I did was pick up a sledgehammer and smash it into even smaller pieces. You needed someone to believe in you. Or simply anybody to just _be there. _And then you became...I need you to say it."

Izuku turned his head over to look at Inko.

"I need you to say it, because I can't. And if you don't then it'll never become a reality to me."

"...Suicidal."

Izuku watched as Inko closed her eyes and breathed in and out. She was processing it all. He thought back to his conversation with Momo about kids. The idea of a child of his own coming up to him and saying that at one point in their lives they wanted to end their lives...it made him sick. It was an imaginary scenario and it still made him want to puke.

To Inko, it was real. He would give her all the time she needed.

He knew that she was picturing it. A world without him in it. He scooted over closer to his mother, and brought her into a hug with her head on his chest. She needed to remember that he was still there, that he wasn't gone and wasn't going anywhere.

After what seemed like hours, Inko finally spoke up. "Even after years of thinking about this moment, nothing could ever make me ready to hear those words."

"Sorry."

Inko let out a dry chuckle, "Of course you still apologize to me. Even though I don't deserve it. Such a heroic heart. That's one of the reasons I know Toshinori is the one. Everywhere I failed to raise you, he did instead. He was the one to push you forward. Without him...I wouldn't have my baby." A small trail of tears began flowing down Inko's cheeks. It wasn't the fire hose it usually was. They were slow tears.

Izuku hadn't cried in awhile. He especially hadn't cried about that topic for a long time. He felt that he had cried enough.

"You raised me just fine."

"I neglected you."

"Don't. Say that. Ever. You did everything you could. Momo also told me about everything you tried to do about school. But, I blocked you up. I would've thrown a fit if we left Musutafu. And we couldn't afford other schools. No parent-...Scratch that. No person on this planet would ever truly know what to do in your situation. They can say they do all they want, but they wouldn't. You had to raise me all alone. Me. Me of all people. A quirkless kid with a pipe dream. One who hid things and had issues he refused to talk about. I didn't make anything easy for you."

"You really need to stop blaming yourself."

"So do you. None of this is all of anyone's fault. Even All Might had his moment. When we first met, he said I couldn't be a hero too."

"He did?"

"Don't be mad at him," Izuku quickly added. "He had the same mindset as everyone else did. And they weren't exactly wrong. I was only able to make it into U.A with a quirk. The entrance exam isn't exactly quirkless friendly. But, I'd say he's more than made up for it now."

"...And Katsuki?"

"That's a bit more complicated."

…

"Ah, Young Yaoyorozu. What brings you here?"

Momo entered the teacher's lounge and sat across from All Might on the sofa. "Do you still have any contact with Sir Nighteye?"

Toshinori's eyes widened, "Well that was sudden. Most don't people don't remember I had a sidekick these days. What brought this on?"

"To be honest, I didn't remember. But, Mirio Togata was apart of our class today. And he said that Sir Nighteye had taken an interest in Izuku, and had Togata keep an eye on him and learn about him. I did some research in Izuku's notebooks, and found out about your former sidekick. I was wondering if you knew about any of this."

All Might scowled, "No, I didn't. I haven't talked to Nighteye in quite some time. We didn't end things on the best of terms."

"Togata said Nighteye became interested in Izuku after he saw him win the Sports Festival."

Toshinori bit his lip, and looked down. "I...I was hoping this conversation would happen later. But, I guess I did promise to stop hiding things."

"What are you hiding?"

"Not 'hiding' per say. I just felt it wasn't important. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have this conversation with Young Izuku first."

Momo pursed her lips and nodded, "Alright, but Izuku doesn't know yet. But, Togata was very interested in introducing him to Nighteye. He claimed he had a few tests for him. Once Izuku realizes that not only one of the Big Three is inviting him, but it's to meet your former sidekick, there's no way he'll say no."

Toshinori crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. "Did Togata just approach you with this information?"

"Well, I fought him first."

"And?"

"I got my butt kicked." Toshinori simply hummed in response. He was confident in Momo's abilities. She was definitely one of the best students both academically and combatively. But Mirio was something else entirely.

_'To think if I had never met Young Izuku, them Togata would be…' _

"So, are you going to talk to Sir Nighteye again about this? Or about Izuku going to his work study?"

"Actually, I don't really approve of the work studies. I was one of the teachers who opposed it. Especially for Izuku. Is this really something he needs right now? Even without the issues that have just come up, there's still so much that's going on. The villain activity is on the rise, and he hasn't perfected his Shoot Style. None of you kids have had a real break from it all, and now they want to throw you back out there... It would also be super awkward for me to talk to Nighteye again."

"That just makes it all sound like an excuse."

"No, no it's not. You do understand where I'm coming from though, right?"

Momo nodded, "I do. Izuku is in a... delicate state. I think we all are right now. But, Izuku is wanting nothing more than to improve himself. And someone who's worked under you and can really help. Nighteye was your sidekick, so he had an outer perspective of you. He could teach Izuku plenty about being the top hero due to watching you throughout the years."

"That's true. But, perhaps at another time. There really isn't any rush."

"To you, maybe. But to Izuku, he already believes he's out of time. The moment you retired, just like you told him, it's his turn. You created something big. Bigger than anything the world has ever seen. But, that also meant you created shoes too big for anyone to fill. Except for Izuku. You chose him to not just fill your shoes, but to surpass you. You see retirement. Izuku sees responsibilities and problems passed on to him. Endeavor can't be you. And no one after him can be you, at least not to the fullest capacity. It's for Izuku to do. He realizes that, and he also realizes that he's only a first year. He feels behind. He's going to take any opportunity to try and go beyond. And this is one way, and I think he should take it."

"Wow. Did he tell you all of this?"

"Nope. I just find it my responsibility to know my boyfriend."

Toshinori gave a smile, "I don't think I've said this, but I couldn't be more grateful to have you with us. Izuku especially shares that sentiment."

Momo smiled warmly, "Thank you. And, perhaps you could show your thanks by going with Izuku and Mirio to see Nighteye."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Do it."

"Don't wanna."

"Too bad."

"Can't make me."

"Do you really want to stress test that?"

Toshinori threw up his hands in exasperation. "Look, it's complicated."

"No. Izuku and Bakugou are complicated. And I think the last thing he needs to see right now is his teacher/father figure also refusing to tackle his friendship problems. If your successor shows up, and you are still nowhere to be seen or heard from, that could put an even worse strain on things. Are your issues with one another really that bad? Do you hate each other?"

"Well, no. But-

"If you see each other again, will you lash out?"

"...No."

"Then work it out. You promised to be the best mentor you can be for Izuku. Then be there with him whenever you can. Or at least help introduce him to Nighteye. You think he's spent too much time having to teach himself? Then be there now. You also say you've learned from Izuku. Then learn from him now, and don't do what he did. Don't hold off from working things out before it's too late. Or you'll regret it."

"...Is this because you still have pent up aggression against me for saying he couldn't be a hero?"

"A little bit."

"Fair enough."

…

"I should call Mitsuki right now and tell her just what she raised."

"Honestly, I don't think it was her." Izuku watched as his mother clenched and unclenched her fists in anger. She definitely wasn't a fan of the Bakugou's anymore.

He remembered back when Mitsuki and her were great friends. But, once he and Katsuki fell out, so did the parents. Inko spent her time trying to raise a quirkless child, and Bakugou was his own handful. And since their children no longer got along, then they couldn't share the troubles with one another with playdates and such. Their friendship was a slow and unwanted decay.

"How so?"

"W-Well, Mrs. Bakugou was always...vivacious. But, she wasn't slap happy like she is today. It only started after Bakugou started to become...him. She was never able to reign him in whenever he acted out. It seemed knocking some sense into him was the only way to get him to stop. Usually that wouldn't work, but since she's his mother, Bakugou wouldn't ever attack her. She's the only one who can stop him from doing stuff. His dad could, but he's a bit too passive for that. I doubt Mrs. Bakugou is very proud of how Bakugou turned either. She raised him to be confident, but the other kids and teachers were the ones that nursed his ego to unholy levels. Sadly, I was a part of that too, to some degree. At some point, Bakugou became too much for even his parents to control."

He could tell his mother still seemed unconvinced.

"Mom, you knew Mitsuki and Masaru better than most. Do you really think they would raise Bakugou to be how he is."

"...No," Inko sighed. "She would always confide in me about how worried she was about his ego. Apparently none of her lessons got through to him."

"Katsuki doesn't listen to anyone but himself."

"He should be expelled."

Izuku looked down to his lap. "...Maybe... Probably. But, I want you to let me handle this."

"Izuku he-"

"I know what he did Mom. I was there for it all. I was the one on the receiving end. But, it'll work out. In one way or another it'll work out. I got this."

"...Why do you have to endure so much pain Izuku?"

Izuku shrugged, "That's life. I'll have to endure more of it. But, I know in the end I'll have you, and Momo, and All Might, my friends, a bright future. I'll be alright. I've learned that I can't dwell on what I used to be. I have to know what I am, and how I can improve. I have to remember how far I've come. I'm not dead. I didn't kill myself. I'm alive. And I want nothing more than to keep living. I'm not useless, nor am a waste. I'm a hero, or at least I someday will be. I'm Izuku Midoriya."

He took his mother's hand.

"I am Deku. And I'm proud to be."

_*Beep* *Beep* *Beep* _

Izuku looked down at his phone to see his an alarm going off. "I need to leave. My curfew is restricted due to lockdown." He stood from the couch, and Inko stood with him. "So, do you trust me?"

Inko wipe a few stray tears, "Yes...I do." Izuku used his jacket to help her wipe away the tears and brought her into a hug. "I love you Mom."

"I love you too, Izuku. My baby boy."

"I'll come back and visit again before the weekend. I promise. I know this is all a lot Mom, but...just remember I'm not gone. I am here." He gave his mom one final squeeze, and he took his leave. The whole situation was one big mess. But, at least the clean up was going smoothly.

As soon as the door closed, Inko pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number. She waited for the phone to pick up. _"Hello?" _

"Mrs. Yaoyorozu? This is Inko, Izuku's mother. How would you feel about buying a middle school and firing the staff?"

…

Izuku slumped back into his train seat and ran his hands through his hair. He had never been so emotionally tired. He just really wanted to go to bed.

_*Bzzt* _

_All Might: Meet me in the teacher's lounge once you return. _

"Uuuuuuuuuggggghhh."

At least his problems were lessening.

…

Blood was so _dirty. _

"AAAAAH! OH GOD!"

Especially when it belonged to filth that the world calls people.

Kai Chisaki watched as Compress fell to the ground, his arm spouting blood and pooling alongside the blood of his former comrade Magne. Shigaraki bolted towards him.

"Shield," Kai said, no panic in his voice.

One of his men flung in between the two and took Shigaraki's good hand to his chest, falling dead to the ground. Kai pulled out a clean rag from his pocket and began vigorously wiping off the blood.

_'Disgusting filth.' _

But, Kai needed this filth. They would be valuable to the cause. The Yakuza were already dwindling, and such grime filled violence wouldn't solve anything. "So, what exactly did you expect to happen there?"

Chisaki raised his head to gaze at the furious League of Villains, but specifically their so called "leader". "Touch me, I die. I touch you, then you die. Then we're both out of luck, aren't we?"

"Get. Out."

"Such counter productiveness. We've both suffered one loss today. But, we owe you an arm" He said almost amusedly, gazing down at Compress. He pulled out his card and flung it to the side. "Once you calm down, give us a call. We'll be happy to accommodate you. Maybe then you won't have to loiter in grime and dirt for a decent plan. I'll have everything we need, and I'll provide for you just as All For One did. I might only have one quirk, unlike him. But one is better than half of one." Kai wiggled his pinkie at Tomura.

Tomura merely stayed silent.

"Forgive me. I couldn't help myself." His cold tone still ever present.

Toga gripped her knife with ferocity, "Let me stab 'em Tomura."

"No. Leave it Toga."

The Yakuza took their leave with Kai at the helm. "I'll be waiting."

...

Izuku opened the door to the teacher's lounge and was surprised to see Momo there with All Might. "Oh, hey. What's going on?"

"I'd like to know the same thing!"

"AH!" Izuku jumped at the sudden voice next to him. Mirio's face was emerging from the wall next to Izuku.

The intangible teen's arm shot out from the wall and pointed at All Might. "You are here! Haha! Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm just siked that THE All Might summoned me." His face disappeared and he walked normally through the door. "Oh, Yaoyorozu! What's up? And Midoriya the Problem Child, awesome to finally meet you. For real this time. Not just me coming through your bedroom wall."

"Young Midoriya, Young Togata, please take a seat. I believe we need to talk about Young Midoriya's work study." Izuku's eyes widened and he hurriedly took a seat next to Momo on the sofa with Mirio next to him.

Momo laid a hand on Izuku's leg and whispered, "How did it go with your mom?"

He smiled, "Good. Really good."

She picked up his hand and kissed his knuckles before turning back to All Might. "Now Young Midoriya, I believe you've technically already met Mirio Togata, one of the Big Three here at U.A."

Izuku's eyes suddenly bulged out of his head. "Th-The Big Three? I knew I saw him somewhere but I couldn't put my finger on it. He made an awkward mark during his Sports Festival but he scored highly. He and the other two of the Big Three are the top students here. They're the best contenders to be the top pros once they're out in the field. Their quirks must be crazy. I don't have my notebooks on me, I need to ask him so many things. Maybe Momo can create me some paper and a pencil so I can-"

"Izuku, honey?"

Izuku stopped and realized he was muttering. "Oh! S-Sorry!" He stood up and bowed to Mirio. "It's an honor to meet you Togata!"

"It's my pleasure!" Mirio said, flicking his arms back and forth.

All Might got the group back on track. "Midoriya, I'm assuming Aizawa has withheld the work study information from you?"

"Yeah, I was hoping to learn about it tomorrow."

"Well, your lockdown is essentially over. So, a work study is essentially an advanced version of the internships. You work under real heroes like last time, but you have your license now. Hero duties of the pro will be your own. It's far more immersive with more responsibilities. Young Togata here has been doing his work study under Sir Nighteye."

"What!?" Izuku whipped around to Mirio. "Nighteye!? All Might's former sidekick Sir Nighteye!?"

Mirio smiled brightly, "Yep Yep! Been with him for about a year now."

"That means you're almost guaranteed to be his sidekick!"

"As long as he'll still have me. I think I know what this is all about now. I'm assuming Yaoyorozu told you about Sir's interest in Midoriya?"

"Me? H-He wants to meet me!?"

All Might clasped his hands and nodded. "I wanted your opinion Togata. Do you think Midoriya has what it takes to work under him?"

"Hmm...I need to know two things first. The second is a surprise, but the first one iiiiiiiiiis... Midoriya, how well do you think you can stand up against me in a fight?"

"...What?"

"C'mon, I fought your whole class today except for you. And if I really want to get a full idea of what you're capable of, then I need to see how you handle yourself in a fight."

"I-I mean, if the teachers allow it."

"Approved." Toshinori stood up and began walking to the door. "Let's head on out to the Gym."

…

"You ready?"

Izuku zipped up his gym jacket and arched his back. He stomped down as lightning sparked and flew all around. _'One For All: 15%' _

Momo turned around away from the fight. Toshinori raised a brow. "What are you doing?"

"Trust me. You don't want to look."

"GO!" Izuku shot off, and in the blink of an eye was on Mirio. Izuku's foot swung down on his opponent. It passed right through Mirio, with Izuku's foot taking all of his clothes with it.

"What the-!?"

Izuku backed up immediately as Mirio sank into the floor. "Intangibility? I can't hit him!"

"That's right!" Izuku swiveled around only for a foot from the floor to sink into his stomach, sending him flying back. He flipped in the air and landed on his feet. _'And he can sink through the floor. I'd be gushing over how cool that is if it wasn't for it being kinda scary.' _

Mirio suddenly sank back into the ground, and his torso appeared next to Midoriya and jabbed his side, immediately sinking back under. The ground wasn't safe anymore.

Izuku looked up to the ceiling, and launched Black Whip into the air, wrapping it around one of the lights. He jumped up and hung from the ceiling. Mirio shot out of the ground and looked around. "Huh? Do you and your girlfriend both have disappearing acts?"

_'He can't see where he's going when he goes under. And he shoots out of the ground extremely fast, he's being shot out. He probably can't be down there for long. I can work with that...I think." _

Izuku placed his feet against the ceiling, and pushed off. Mirio looked up just in time to see Izuku rocketing towards his position. He vanished under the ground and Izuku slammed the ground, breaking and cracking the surface area of the fighting floor. _'Perfect.' _

Izuku stayed dead quiet, waiting for Mirio to strike.

_*Rumble* _

His eyes widened and he immediately swung his leg around and kicked at the appearing Mirio. "Woah!" Mirio phased his upper half as the kick went through him. He went through Izuku and dove back into the ground. _'How did he know where I was coming from?' _He shot back out of the ground, and once again Izuku was right on top of him. It essentially turned into a game of Whack-A-Mole. Mirio phased through the kick, and went back underground. He angled his body and shot out far away from Izuku. Once topside, he almost slipped on a rock. As he looked around, he realized what was happening.

Izuku had purposely smashed the ground to cause rubble, rocks, and shards to scatter across the ground. Whenever Mirio was shooting out of the ground, the disconnected rocks would shake and move away from him, immediately giving away his position. And with Izuku's super speed, that split second was all he needed.

_*Crack* _

Mirio phased his stomach as Black Whip passed through him. "I heard about your two quirks! That's really cool. You should work on your aim though...I shouldn't have said that, right?"

"Probably not." Izuku yanked back Black Whip, and the rock he had grabbed onto behind Mirio nearly hit his head, but instead went right through. Mirio charged towards Izuku. The first year shot bolts of energy at Mirio, but they passed right through the blonde. He was turning it off and on again. Izuku bolted back, creating more distance between the two. Mirio had complete mastery over his quirk. He just couldn't be hit.

Izuku just needed to figure out how it worked.

Quirks weren't magic. They were genetics. Which lead into physics, chemistry, etc. It was all scientific. Mirio didn't just magically go through stuff. Izuku had an idea though.

It was a dumb idea.

A very stupid idea.

But, it was his best chance. He had learned it from Pre-Quirk Era comics. So, it didn't exactly work for old world science. But quirks changed nearly every field of science. The impossible was now possible. And the phrase "only in fiction" ceased to exist.

So what did he have to lose?

Izuku bolted straight at Mirio, and the blonde charged right back. Izuku pushed all the energy he could into his leg and shook it around. He could feel the power course through every atom, and soon enough his arm began to vibrate at alarming speeds. Izuku leaped into the air, and sent down an axe kick onto his opponent.

Mirio smirked at the attempt, ready to phase right through it. But, even after activating his quirk, Izuku's kick slammed into Mirio's head shooting him back and into the ground. "What the heck was that?"

"I think I figured out how your quirk works." Mirio looked and raised a brow at Izuku. "Your particles and atoms vibrate at such a fast and specific frequency that you can pass through any solid matter. You push right through empty space, and even tightly clasped atoms. You shoot out of the ground, because objects can't occupy the same space, and electrons repel atoms."

"...Holy cow. Smart cookie."

"Not really. I'm just a nerd who had way too much time on his hands to read old comics." Mirio smirked at him, clearly impressed. He vanished into the ground and shot out in front of Izuku. He phased his arm through his face, and made his hand tangible on the other side. He grabbed onto Izuku's hair and yanked him down, flinging Izuku down. He pulled his arm back out and grabbed onto Izuku's jacket.

Vibrating his leg wore Izuku out, and Mirio was still as energetic as ever. Was he even trying that entire time? The elder teen pulled back his fist, and shot it forward. Izuku closed his eyes and awaited for the hit...but felt nothing. He opened his eyes to see Mirio simply pointing at him.

"What sort of hero do you want to be?"

"...Huh?"

"What sort of hero do you want to be? That's the second thing I need to know?"

Izuku opened and closed his mouth, surprised at the sudden question. But, he was also in thought. A while back, he would have said "I want to be just like All Might". But, that wasn't exactly correct. He wanted to be so much more than that. He's had so many experiences now. He knows that everything will become harder and harder. Simply being a cool hero like All Might isn't a good enough explanation.

He thought of All Might.

"I want to be a hero that smiles and brings hope to everyone."

He thought of his mother.

"I want to be a hero that washes away all worries and fears."

He thought of Momo.

"I want to live up to who I am, and the potential people see in me. I want to protect those I love and those who are loved."

He thought of his friends.

"I want to be the rope that ties everyone together. The hero that connects to everyone."

He even thought of Katsuki.

"I want to be the hero that never loses, and never backs down. The hero that can't be brought down. Neither physical or verbally."

Then, he thought of himself. Who he used to be, who he was now, and who he wanted-...No, _would _be in the future. What he needed to be.

"...The Greatest Hero."

Mirio gazed at Izuku in silence. Then, his hand went from pointing at him, to offering his hand. "I don't see how I can refuse a mission statement like that. Welcome to the Nighteye Agency."

Izuku smiled and grabbed Mirio's hand, and was lifted to his feet. "Thank you Togata. I won't let you down."

"It's not me who you should be worried about. Sir can be pretty intense."

"I'll do my best. I promise I will-Holy shit how did I forget you were naked?"

"Oh! Right! Sorry about that." Mirio rushed over to his clothes and began putting them back on.

On the side, All Might and a still turned around Momo were beaming at Izuku's answer to Mirio.

Toshinori walked to the boys, "Alright, Izuku will leave with you this weekend for the work study. It's getting late, so head on back Togata. Thank you for this."

"No problemo! I'll see you Saturday Midoriya!" Mirio began his trek out of the room, but stopped. "Oh, by the way Yaoyorozu. You're invited too. You were really awesome during the battle today. Later!" And with that he left the gym.

Izuku turned to the other two. "By the way, I'm pretty sure I just vibrated some of my bones out of place. So I really need to go to Recovery Girl." Izuku then slumped onto the ground, cradling his leg.

All Might's facepalm echoed throughout the gym.

…

With a leg freshly popped back into place, Izuku walked out of Recovery Girl's office with Momo and All Might. "Wow Momo! You and I going to Nighteye's together! This is going to be-"

"Actually, I don't think I'm going."

"...What?" Even All Might was surprised at this. Momo stopped as they exited the building and turned to the two.

"I've been thinking about the work study, and about how you wanted to handle your predicament on your own. And, that phrase got to me. On your own. We haven't exactly fought on our own in awhile, have we? Besides your fight with Bakugou and my fight against Togata, we always fought together."

"Well, yeah. I guess so."

"It's not that I don't want to be with you at every second of every day."

"As I want to also."

Toshinori deadpanned, "Too sweet. Keep it going."

"Right, sorry. I'm just afraid that we'll become to reliant on the other. Maybe it's time we did something separately."

All Might chimed in, "Actually, I think that's a great idea. There will be times where you two aren't together and danger strikes. If you spend too much time thinking about what the other would do or not knowing how to handle yourself without the other, it'll cost you."

Izuku looked downtrodden. "Well, where are you going to go?"

"I heard Kirishima talking earlier, and Edgeshot said he'd give me a good word. I think I'm going to Fatgum."

"Fatgum? The BMI hero?"

"He knows a lot about fat conservation and changing. I think I could learn a lot from him."

Izuku thought about it and smiled, "If you think it's a good idea, than it has to be." Momo smiled back and kissed him. All Might cleared his throat and gained their attention.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a talk with Young Izuku. Granted, he's just going to tell you everything when he gets back to the dorms. But, I'd still like to talk privately first."

"I understand. I'll see you back at the dorms." Momo kissed Izuku once more and headed back to 1-A's building.

Izuku turned back to All Might, "What's wrong?"

Toshinori gestured over his shoulder, "Walk with me." The two began walking at a slow pace down a small campus pathway as the sun was mere minutes from setting. "I wanted to talk with you about Nighteye. He knows about One For All."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. You two worked together for years."

"That's not all. He and I didn't exactly end our last conversation on good terms." He turned back to Izuku and gave him a solemn look. "After my injury, I was stubborn. I wanted to keep going, not let anyone know about it. I wanted to keep smiling. But, he disagreed. He told me to settle down, retire, find my successor. I obviously refused. And...he warned me about something."

"...What warning?"

"His quirk allows him to see the future of whoever he touches and makes eye contact with. And, he saw mine. He's never been wrong. He said, 'If you continue down this path, another villain will arise. It will lead to my gruesome death'."

...Death.

Izuku's senses decided to stop working for a second. Everything became fuzzy, and sound was quiet. He looked around, repeating the word over and over again. All Might...dead. Those were two words he never wanted to be put together. In fact, he didn't want those words put with anyone he knew. Not his mother, not his friends, not Momo...God forbid Momo.

"But...All For One came back and you survived!"

"True. But, the farther in the future a prediction is, the harder it is for him to decipher. He claimed it was about six to seven years from the prediction...And that was six years ago."

"What!? But that could mean this year or the next! Maybe All For One was the villain! Maybe the future changed! No one is right 100% of the time. Quirks have weaknesses!"

All Might shrugged, "Maybe so. Maybe my future already has changed. Maybe I outlived the prediction and the future changed. But, he was so certain. So certain that when I told him about you, my successor. The thing he wanted me to get. He tossed you aside. He thought you were a terrible idea. So, he found me someone else to take your place. Mirio Togata."

"Wh-...Togata?"

Izuku couldn't deny that Mirio was a perfect choice. Powerful, smiled all the time, was energetic, had a lively aura around him...He was perfect. Looking at him now, Izuku realized how great Togata would have been in his place.

"That's right. But, I ignored him. I chose you. And kid...Nothing will ever make me regret this decision. No one, and I mean no one, is more deserving to be my successor more than you. No one would be a better pick. Even he sees that now. When Togata said Nighteye had an interest in you, it was more than an interest. He's been keeping an eye on you. He saw you win the festival, he saw the same potential that I see. You. Are. The one. Before I met you, I was so ready to accept my fate. The finish line was there, I was just gonna finish with a sprint."

"...All Might, I-...You can't die! Don't you remember your promise?" Tears were filling Izuku's eyes now. To think, earlier he was remarking about how little he cried anymore. "You need to be there for when I can say, 'I am here'! I-I-...Mom can't lose you now. _I _can't lose you now! Not anyone! I just-...Dad, you can't leave. You promised."

All Might raised his brows at that. It seemed Izuku didn't notice what he had said. Most people had that moment where they accidentally called their teacher or other adult 'Mom' or 'Dad'. Hell, with the recurring memories of his past lately, maybe it was Izuku's brain bringing back his feelings about Hisashi. To Toshinori however, it was everything. It wasn't just a reflex. This seemed different. It WAS different. He wouldn't bring it up now. He would keep it as a reminder. It was even more of a reason to defy fate.

"I remember. I thought it was a promise I wouldn't be able to keep. But then…" All Might scoffed with a smile. "Kid, you changed me. You changed everything. When I fought All For One, all I could think about was you and your mother. All I could think about was the life I had, the life I wanted to continue living...The life you gave me. You, a timid and quirkless kid that I've seen grow so much in only a year. The experiences and moments we've shared, it changed everything. After you, fate meant nothing. The only future I could see was with alongside you." Toshinori reached his hand out to Izuku, and did the best he could to buff up.

"With you by my side, I will use these hands to mold my future! The future that I want!" Toshinori stood in the glow of the sunset, determined with his statement. He went back to normal and continued, "I thought that I had no right to speak to Nighteye, because I thought everything he said was turning out to be true. But, Young Yaoyorozu told me something. She said that if I don't work things out now, I'll regret. Here I am worried about my sudden death. And yet, I was too scared to fix a problem with a dear friend that was only trying to help. I can't live with the idea of leaving this world without an apology to him. I want my friend back. I'll stand alongside you when you go to him. And train you even further."

Izuku held out his fist to All Might. "I'll stand alongside you, no matter what happens. I'll make sure fate can't bind you to any future besides the one you make. The one WE make!"

Toshinori smirked, and pressed his fist to Izuku's. "Well then…"

"...Let's change the future."

**A/N: Took a risk with the Dad part. If people don't like it I'll likely delete it saying I was already on the fence about it too**


	48. Sir

**A/N: To anyone interested, I made an IzuToga oneshot. I thought it turned out pretty good. Now, about Thank You. The beginning is a little tone deaf. But I couldn't not put in this joke. Don't take it super seriously. By the way I wanted to talk about the "Dad" last chapter. Which, BTW got tons of support. So that turned out well. But this isn't just for the small handful that didn't like it all that much, this is for everyone. I have no intention of Izuku actually calling All Might "Dad" casually. Not happening. What it was supposed to be was small crack or glimpse into Izuku's mind. It was meant to be (as All Might assumed) a slip of the tongue in an emotional state. It was meant to be a crack or peek in Izuku's head for All Might to see to really emphasize the connection they've grown to have and solidify his want to defy fate. Not Izuku actually wanting to start calling him Dad, but to get a real image of how Izuku views him. Not just as a fan of a hero, but as someone who saw him as a father figure. It sounded great on paper, but once I wrote the word "Dad" I immediately took a step back. I'm just happy almost everyone liked that decision.**

"Have you seen my green blouse?" Momo asked, turning to her boyfriend who was looking through the dressers in her room. Both were packing for their work studies. They were supposed to leave tomorrow and with their clothes split up between both of their rooms, things were becoming difficult.

"Those are in my room. Have you seen my black jeans? I thought I brought them here."

"I put those back in yours." Momo let out a breathy laugh, "Sharing two rooms can be so unorganized."

Izuku chuckled with her and sat down next to her on the bed. "Yeah, but we're already stretching the rules enough. If Iida found out that one of us fully moved in to the other's room he would blow a gasket."

"But you essentially already live here" Momo said, blowing her bang out of her face.

"Eh, we go back and forth."

"You sleep here six days a week Izuku, at least. We sleep in your room at random."

Izuku shrugged and turned to face her. "Three words Momo. Ivory. Silk. Sheets. Sleeping in here is like sleeping on a cloud. I'm actually worried that I won't be able to sleep at my internship. I might think the beds are too uncomfortable, and I won't have you there to make up for it."

"Ah, right. It's funny you know. This is the first time we've spent more than a week away from each other since the Sports Festival...Or actually, have we ever spent more than a week from one another since then?"

"What about the internships?"

"We still crossed paths during then because of Stain."

"...Oh. H-Holy crap. We actually haven't." Even during vacation periods the two were always together at some point during them. "Being apart might be harder than we thought" Izuku said, slumping back on the bed.

Momo smiled, "We did just fine before we met one another. I'm sure we can handle this."

"What are you talking about!? My life was awful! And the agencies will have different schedules. So even if I come back to U.A for a few days, you might be gone and vice versa!"

She shook her head and laid down with him, "You'll be fine. If you want I could make you a body pillow of me," she joked.

"Y-You can do that?"

"Of course."

"...Yes please."

Momo raised a brow, "It was a joke."

"Oh! O-Of course! I was joking too! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Izuku sweated nervously and looked away.

"...Izuku, be honest with me. Were you going to fornicate with the pillow?"

"What!? NO! I just-"

"Pfft! Hahahahaha! _*Snort* _Hahahahahaha!" It was then Izuku realized that she was joking again. He couldn't even be made about it due to A. He could never be made at Momo. And B. Her snort came back. He could never be made when she did something that cute. "The look on your face was priceless!" Izuku rolled to face away from her in a fake pout. "Oh come on. I'm only teasing."

A pair of arms wrapped around his waist and brought him back against her. "I'm not turning around."

"That's fine. You being little spoon is funny." Izuku groaned in response. Momo giggled, and her back began glowing bright blue. She lifted up her shirt, and pulled her creation out. "Here." She placed it in front of them and Izuku's eyes widened.

She did it.

She actually did it.

In front of Izuku's very eyes was a full size body pillow of Momo in the Hero outfit he designed for her. It wasn't risque or anything, but Izuku still couldn't help but blush. "Flip it over." Izuku did as he was told, and nearly had a heart attack.

"Wha-!? I-! AH!" The other side of the pillow had Momo in her original costume. She was opening up the front of her suit, but her chest was glowing from her quirk so nothing bad could be seen. Her belt was also hanging low. It was down to her knees instead of on her waist. "Why!? Why would you do this to me!?"

Momo simply began laughing once more, but even harder. Izuku was beginning to think that Jirou was a bad influence on Momo's sense of humour. "Good luck hiding this in your suitcase! Hahaha!" Izuku shot up and threw the pillow in the closet.

"How do you even know how to make that so well!?"

"I may or may not have been practicing that pillow purely for that joke."

Izuku looked back inside the closet to find multiple versions of that pillow, but with less than stellar artwork on the sides. He facepalmed, but then noticed something. "Oh hey, look." He pulled out a blazer and pants. "It's my outfit from Kamino. I forgot you kept this."

Momo wiped her eyes and sat up. "I told you we were keeping it. The goatee and sunglasses are in a box up top. It was too funny to give up."

Izuku put the blazer on looked in Momo's full length mirror. "This actually doesn't look half bad on me." He tried another pose with his hands in his pockets, but felt something. He grabbed onto what was in the pocket and pulled it out. A small silver disk with a red light on it was in his hand. He was confused at first, but then realized what it was. "Oh, it's one of the trackers you gave us on the train to Kamino."

"Ah yeah. Without that, we might not have found the warehouse in time."

"Just another moment where your genius saves the day." Momo gave a small smile and a blush at his comment. "I should actually keep this. Who knows what could happen out there? And knowing where we are would ease my mind immensely."

"Not to mention how much trouble you can get it."

"Ha Ha." Izuku sarcastically laughed. "...But you're also right. Here, I'll find the one on your dress." Izuku opened up the other side of the closet.

"No wait!" But it was too late. Out from the closet came another body pillow…

...But of Izuku.

On one side, he was dressed normally. On the other however…

He was completely shirtless, and his was holding the hem of his pants slightly down. Izuku slowly turned to look at Momo, his face one of questioning.

Momo crossed her arms, "...Oh so you can have one of me, but I can't have one of you?"

"Whatever you say Mineta Jr."

"Hey! There's a big difference. I'm only slightly perverted for my boyfriend. Which, for starters, is kind of a part of my job as a girlfriend. And secondly, you're just as perverted towards me as I am to you, if not more."

"I am as respectful as I can possibly be! But you make it really hard!"

The muffled voice of Kyouka came through the walls._ "That's what she said!" _

**(Up In Kyouka's Room)**

Ochako stopped messing around with Kyouka's bass guitar and looked at her partner in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing. Just eavesdropping."

"...How much do you listen in on people?"

"No comment."

**(Momo's Room)**

Izuku looked around, "Did she just-?"

"Yes, she does that. Hold on." Momo created a whistle and blew into it hard.

_"Ah! Shit! Screw you Yaomomo!" _

"Now that she's taken care of, can we just both agree we're very sexually attracted to one another, pack our pillows, and move on?"

"...Deal." Izuku sighed, "If Nighteye sees this, he's going to be even less impressed by me."

The creation quirk user pursed her lips at that. Izuku had told her about what All Might had told him. Not just about Nighteye's prediction of All Might's death, but about Nighteye's disapproval of him as well. It was strange to think that Mirio was the one that Nighteye chose to be the successor to One For All. But, even Momo couldn't deny it made sense. Togata was the living definition of charisma and good spirits. He was infectious, in a good way. Izuku was too. He inspired more people than he realized. The entire class, besides Bakugou, was inspired by Izuku in some way.

But, she knew Izuku wasn't the most charismatic. And his past was likely a large part of the blame. He was conditioned into keeping to himself with personal matters and smiling was foreign to him until recently. His image, even in the eyes of his friends, wasn't a ray of sunshine and hope. But, that was the image he was trying to form for himself. No matter how much Izuku developed new techniques and ideas, Momo realized that he was still trying to imitate All Might.

No matter how his relationship with All Might evolved, there was something Izuku always was at heart.

A fanboy.

All Might was just a great hero. He wasn't even just the number one hero.

All Might was _The _Hero.

There was no one like All Might. He was the Symbol of Peace. He brought peace and justice, fought off criminals like they were nothing, he was a force of nature. And Izuku, whether he saw All Might as his surrogate father or not, would always still see All Might. That's why he didn't call him Toshinori. Or even Yagi. He still called him All Might. They were definitely close enough personally for a name change by that point. Even Toshinori called Izuku by his first name in private by that point. But Izuku still identified Toshinori as All Might, the Symbol of Peace.

And with Izuku feeling like he was on a time limit, he was desperate to succeed. And when one becomes desperate, they find the closest solution to fix their problems. And Izuku's was All Might. He needed to be the number one hero? It was his turn? Well, how does he get there the fastest?

Be All Might.

Momo disagreed.

She felt that no one could replace All Might. No one can be All Might. Izuku was trying his best, but she knew he couldn't.

Because he could be better.

Because he _was _better.

Izuku was the most driven person she had ever met. His past was one that no one else could've survived. But, here he was. Standing tall and ready to face anything. She had gotten to know Izuku and All Might well over the time she knew them. Toshinori was a man of ideals. He saw a world that needed a symbol. A hero that smiled in the face of danger. A hero that people thought could do anything.

And it worked.

But, he was gone now. And living in a world without the Symbol of Peace was strange. As time went on, Momo saw how the world changed without him. And…

It hardly changed at all.

The only thing that changed was the crime rates. But, the people...it was like nothing. It was like people were trying to ignore it. Or they were so deluded by the idea of All Might and that he was still alive that they weren't scared. It was then Momo had another realization…

The world didn't need A Symbol of Peace.

In fact, it shouldn't have A Symbol of Peace.

At least, not in the way All Might was. She knew that made it sound like she was a villain. But, she meant it for good reason. The world was far too dependent on All Might. Have a problem? The solution is All Might. Everything shouldn't depend on one person. Or, if it did, they shouldn't be alone in their struggles. They shouldn't have to stand alone against the villain. Obviously there are fights that no one but one person can face. It was an odd situation. Momo didn't know what the true answer was. She didn't know exactly what the world needed instead of one single symbol. All she knew was that Izuku was likely the key.

Izuku didn't need the facades and spirit of All Might. He didn't need the plastic and stale personas and merchandising that most heroes had nowadays. Even All Might, no matter how pure he truly was, succumbed to that at times. Izuku didn't need it, because he already was a hero without it.

When Toshinori wasn't in costume, she saw a man. A great man. But, a man.

Izuku, in his costume or not, she saw a hero. Even when he wasn't smiling, even when he was vulnerable, even when he was scared, even when he was angry, even when he was broken…

She saw a hero.

"If he doesn't like you, then he's quite frankly an idiot." Izuku looked at her in surprise. "You were chosen, not Togata."

"But Togata is so-"

"It doesn't matter what he is. What matters is what you are. Who are you?"

"...Izuku Midoriya."

"And?"

"The hero in training."

"And?" Momo said, keeping him going.

"The successor of All Might."

"And?"

"...One of the smartest kids my grade."

"And?"

"...The guy with the smartest, kindest, bravest, and hottest girlfriend in Japan?"

"Close enough." Momo got up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "He's going to compare you to All Might. You need to show him that you aren't All Might. You're you. And nothing can compare to that." Izuku smiled warmly at her, and pressed his lips against hers.

"Thank you."

"Anytime. Now it's our last guaranteed night together for the next month. So we're going to edge even closer to home base on that bed."

"Mineta Jr."

"Quiet you."

…

"Do you really think Dragoon will take a fourth student? She already had Hado, but now you and Tsu. If I show up, it'll be a crowd."

Ochako put down the bass guitar and sat down on the bed near Kyouka. "It'll be fine. Hado said that Dragoon is actually really nice and is always looking for new students. She also said Dragoon just can't say no to her. So it's kinda a guarantee."

"Alright. If you say so. I honestly thought about not going on a work study. What happened at camp kind of had me nervous. Can you believe Midoriya's going on one? I half expected Aizawa to keep him here because of the fight and the rescue mission."

Ochako pursed her lips and sat cross-legged, leaning on Kyouka's shoulder. "I would've thought the same, but Bakugou seems to be taking the brunt of the punishments. Whatever happened, he's getting most of the blame."

"What happened anyway? Ever since Yaomomo got all defensive about it, no one has asked. Kirishima said Bakugou won't even talk to him about it. It seems super personal. It wasn't a secret that those two didn't get along, but I'm getting the feeling that it's more than that. Has Midoriya said anything to you about it?"

"No, he won't talk about it either. He just said that another argument got out of hand. But, Deku's a bad liar. Something's going on. But, I guess it's Yaomomo's job as Deku's main supporter now. He'll talk when he's ready. That's just kinda his thing."

"Some might not be as understanding. Kirishima is really getting antsy about it. I can understand it though. Bakugou and Midoriya are two of his closest friends, and now it seems their relationship has totally switched. Now it's Midoriya who hates Bakugou and Bakugou just kinda ignores Midoriya. It used to be the opposite. And when the nicest guy in class suddenly has reason to hate someone, and that someone is your best friend, I'd be dying to know too."

"I have a bad feeling that if he does find out, he's not going to like what he finds."

…

Izuku put his backpack on and buttoned up his blazer. He turned to look at Momo putting her hair in a ponytail. With how off the schedules are with work studies, their time together would be sparse over the next month. It would be tough, especially with how addicted he became of her presence, but he'd get through it.

He looked down at his second large duffel bag, the...pillow inside.

He couldn't believe he was actually bringing it but...he needed sleep.

_*Bzzt* _

Izuku looked down at his phone to see All Might and Mirio were waiting for him downstairs. "Well, I guess it's my time to go."

Momo gave a somber smiled and picked her phone up, "Kirishima is waiting for me too."

She stood up and walked over to Izuku. The onyx eyed teen wrapped her arms around him. "Would it be too much to ask you to stay out of trouble?"

"Probably."

"Then I'll just say to be careful, and I love you," she chuckled.

"I love you too."

Their embrace tightened and their lips met. There was no tongue or biting, just a simple, soft kiss. "And don't forget to ask for the 23rd off. No matter what we're spending my birthday together."

"I'll be here." She smiled and took Izuku's hand. They left the room and headed down the stairs. Izuku saw Mirio, All Might, and Kirishima by the front door. But, just as he stepped off the stairs, something stopped him.

"Hey." Izuku turned to see Katsuki by the steps. "I need to talk to you." Momo was about to say something, but Izuku stepped in.

"Just give me a minute. I'll handle it." He walked with Katsuki until they were in the kitchen. Both stood in silence, and Katsuki shifted around on his feet. It was the first time Izuku had ever seen him...uncomfortable.

"Look I just-...I-... Fucking damn it!" Izuku watched as Katsuki grabbed at his own hair and grit his teeth.

"They're waiting for me. I should be goi-."

"No, just shut the fuck up and listen! I-...That came out wrong. That wasn't what I meant to say. I'm just...I'm sorry."

"You've said that already."

"I fucking know I-...If I had known that you-"

"It doesn't matter if you knew or not. You never should have done anything you did in the first place."

"I fucking know! I just-"

"I know. I know. Of course you know. If you knew, then we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"I thought I knew!...I thought I did...But now I have no fucking clue what I know anymore. I don't even know what I am anymore. Cause it's not a fucking hero."

Izuku tightened his backpack strap and turned around, "Well I hope you figure it out and change. I have to go."

"I really am sorry." Izuku stopped in his tracks. "I...I don't know what else to say. I'm like a fucking broken record but...I'm sorry."

That, by far, was the most jarring experience Izuku ever had. Katsuki, against the will and direction of the universe, apologized. The teen realized just how much he impacted Katsuki with his reveal. Katsuki knew what he did was wrong, but it used to be he didn't think it was a big deal. Beating up a quirkless kid didn't matter. It wasn't right, but it wasn't wrong.

But now Izuku had grabbed Katsuki's eyelids and forced them open. Izuku used to be quirkless. And quirkless were still human. If Izuku was ever going to even consider coming to a common ground with Katsuki, then the blonde needed to set up the base himself. He needed to lament and truly realize what he is.

So as far as Izuku was concerned, for now, he needed to follow his own path and forget about Katsuki.

"... Apology not accepted."

Izuku walked out of the kitchen, and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. His insides were screaming to turn around and accept the apology, to give Katsuki a second chance. He wanted Katsuki to forgive himself first. He needed to figure himself out, forgive himself, and change. Or at least try. Izuku couldn't forgive someone who didn't even fully understand what he was apologizing for.

He walked out to the front and met up with everyone else. Mirio began flicking his arms around, "Ready to go Midoriya!?"

"Uh, yeah. Just give me a sec. Go ahead and head out to the car."

"You got it!" Mirio and All Might walked out the front door, and Izuku turned to Momo, a look of concern on her face.

"You okay?"

"Yeah...Yeah I'm good. It's handled, for now."

"We're still waiting for Tamaki to get here, so I guess this is where we actually part ways" Izuku nodded and hugged Momo once more. Their lips met in long soft kisses.

"Guy?" Kirishima said, sitting awkwardly on the side. "You do realize we're not actually staying at the work studies for a month, right? We get to come back here a lot."

Momo waved him off, talking against Izuku's lips. "Don't ruin our moment." He raised his hands in defeat and slumped back in his chair. They separated and Momo rubbed their noses together. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Please stop. It's so sweet it hurts." Izuku blushed in embarrassment, but put a hand on Kirishima's shoulder.

"Keep her safe."

"You got it man." Kirishima fist bumped his friend.

Izuku turned back to Momo. "At least humor him and act like you actually need help."

"I'll try."

"And protect him...and Amajiki...and Fatgum. In fact, just don't outshine them too much. They need at least a little spotlight."

Momo laughed and shoved his shoulder. "Go. They're waiting on you." Izuku chuckled and walked out the front door, heading to the car.

Ejirou ran a hand through his spikes as a stray hair fell down from his upward hair style, "He wasn't joking around was he?"

_*Shnk* _

The stray hair was suddenly cut, and being held in Momo's hand in the blink of an eye. Her sword unsheathed and being held in the other hand.

"Nope."

…

**(On The Train)**

"I got this. I mean I got this right?" Izuku and Mirio looked at one another awkwardly as All Might seemingly had an anxiety attack. "He doesn't hate...right? Mirai is an understanding guy."

"I-I'm sure it'll be fine All Might."

"Yeah...Yeah, you're right."

**(10 Seconds Later)**

The crinkling of the paper bag Toshinori was hyperventilating into echoed throughout the train. "I can't do this."

"Out of everything you've done, this is the thing you panic at!?"

"I don't deal well with awkward situations! Especially not with close friends!"

"Holy crap maybe Todoroki was right."

"What?"

"Nothing."

…

Momo leaned back into her train seat and looked out the window at the passing landscape. Tamaki put earphones in and closed his eyes. He apologized beforehand, but social interaction was still not his specialty. From dating someone who wasn't good socially, Momo understood his troubles.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Momo looked to see Kirishima looking at her.

"Of course."

"I know you won't want to but...can you tell me what happened between Bakugou and Midoriya?"

"Kirishima…"

"I know. It's personal. I get it. But it's getting worrying. Bakugou isn't acting like himself, he won't talk to me, Midoriya seems to hate him and he beat the ever-living shit out him, no one else knows. He's my best friend. Midoriya has you to go to for stuff super personal. Bakugou doesn't go to his parents or anyone for that matter for this kind of stuff. I'm all he's got. I want to help."

"Me being involved is very different than you being involved."

"It's just... I'm no best friend if I can't help him with this. It's not manly."

Momo shook her head, "Manliness has nothing to do with this."

"Then just help me understand."

"...Why do you like Bakugou?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you like Bakugou? He's brash, aggressive, egotistical, and forgive my language, but an all around piece of shit."

"Hey! Come on, that's my friend you're talking about. He's not that bad."

"Yes. Yes he is."

"Look, Bakugou has a good heart... somewhere in there. He helps me with my homework, he actually listens to people... sometimes. He's confident and strong. He wants to be a hero, and he rejected the League when they-"

"How exactly is that an excuse? So he doesn't want to be a criminal and that instantly makes him an amazing person?"

"No. No that's not what I'm saying. I have no issue saying that Bakugou is...a dick. Like, a major dick. But he's still good inside."

Momo sighed, "I'm sorry Kirishima. I know he's your friend, but I don't seem to see the same thing that you and Izuku both see."

"If Midoriya sees what I see than why does he resent him now?"

"It's not my place to say Kirishima."

"Well I can't ask Midoriya. He doesn't tell anybody anything about himself, except you."

"Well then this conversation is over."

Ejirou tossed his hands up in exasperation, "Yaoyorozu please I-"

"Kirishima, I can't say. I'm sorry but...no. You won't get anything from me." Her friend slumped back in defeat, looking out the window while leaning on his hand.

"... Sorry. I didn't mean to push you. I just think Bakugou shouldn't be alone right now either."

Momo nodded and looked out the window too. _'Maybe he needs to be alone for once. Maybe he doesn't need more people kissing the ground he walks on. I want you to know Kirishima, but it's not my place. And it would hurt to see you broken when you see what he really was.' _

…

"I've never actually been in an agency building! This is so cool!"

Mirio looked at Izuku in confusion, "What about your internship? Didn't you go to a hero agency?"

"I don't think Gran Torino's run down apartment counts as a hero agency. Hey, where did All Might go?"

"Oh, he said he needed to use the bathroom"

"..."

"..."

The two teens bolted to the bathroom and shoved the door open. All Might was trying to stand on a mop bucket and climb out the window. They grabbed onto the former pro and dragged him back inside.

"Oh my god All Might! Be a man! If I'm the one that has to tell you that then we have a problem!" Izuku yelled.

Toshinori stopped struggling and sighed, "You're right. I've been avoiding this for too long. I just...haven't spoken to him in a year. Not even after Kamino. A lot has happened since then, and I'm sure his disapproval of me has only grown."

"Nah, Sir still thinks your great!" Mirio exclaimed, patting Toshinori's back.

"Did he say that?" All Might said, hope in his voice.

"Nope." All Might put his head in his hands. As they continued up the stairs, Izuku turned to All Might.

"Was it really that bad? I mean it's not like you two hate each other."

"I know. I just feel like I did him wrong. I refused to listen to him when it mattered and I put a dent in our friendship. It was just a disagreement. I don't regret my decisions, because it turned out to be for the best." Izuku smiled knowing that All Might was talking about making him his successor. "But Mirai likely still disagrees." Izuku's frown returned.

"After that we went our separate ways. I felt that my decisions were final, and if he disagreed then I had no business with him. I think it's time I apologize, and we both accept the outcome."

"Well, here we are. Do you remember what I told you about making him laugh Midoriya?" Izuku nodded, readying his face. Mirio gestured to the door in front of them. "I hope things go well for you two, All Might. To make the effect stronger, I kinda didn't tell him you were coming."

"I've made a terrible mistake."

"Too late!" Mirio slammed the door open and strutted through the door. "Sir! We've arrived! And I have an extra special guest to see you!"

The sight before Izuku and All Might was... interesting. A scantily dressed aqua skinned woman was being forcefully tickled on a torture device. Nighteye slowly turned around.

"I'd hardly call the boy speci-..." His eyes landed on All Might, his voice leaving his throat.

"...Mirai. It's been awhile my friend."

Nighteye turned off the tickle machine, never taking his eyes off of All Might. "Leave us."

"Yes sir." Bubble Girl hopped down and rushed out.

"You too Togata."

"Oh, uh...Okay Sir." Mirio exited as well, giving a thumbs up to Midoriya as he left. Once the door was closed, Nighteye broke the silence.

"...It's good to see you."

"And you as well…I'm going to get this all out of the way and say I'm sorry."

"Sorry? What are you apologizing for? I was the one angry at you. I should be the one apologizing."

"Wait, so... you're not mad?"

"At you? Of course not!"

Toshinori put his hands on his knees and sighed in relief, "Oh thank goodness. I thought you were still mad about last year."

"No I-...Wait. Last year? What are you apologizing about?"

"For being so stubborn and rude to you when you disagreed with my choice in successor...What are _you _apologizing for?"

"_ I'm _apologizing for what I said at the hospital six years ago. I just wanted you to be happy and live on."

Toshinori stood up straight, "So...you still think I made the wrong choice and should've picked Togata?"

"...Well-"

Toshinori turned himself and Izuku around and headed for the door. "We're done here," he said with exasperation.

"Wait what!?" Izuku pulled away from Toshinori. "Just like that."

"His opinion is clear."

"No! I'm not leaving here empty handed!" He faced Nighteye, and put his head down.

**"I am here!" **Izuku's head shot up, his All Might impression appearing for all to see. Toshinori was creeped out with how similar he looked to him.

_'Maybe Young Todoroki was right.' _

"Was that supposed to be funny?" Izuku faltered, Sir was glaring at him with more intensity than before. "Are you mocking All Might? Your own teacher?"

"Er! W-Well no I-"

"It's not even accurate." He grabbed onto Izuku's face and picked apart each detail. "He didn't have a wrinkle here. And his crows feet were 0.6 cm apart, not 0.3 cm. It varies from Silver Age to Golden Age. Even merchandise can get that right."

All Might scoffed, "Are you kidding me?"

"You're here to endorse him, correct? Then you know we accept no less than the best. You want to prove me wrong and show me that he was the right choice? Then he has to show me himself. This is still my agency, and who gets hired here is my decision. Give me five minutes alone with him, then we'll see."

"You're already impressed with him. We know you've been keeping an eye on him since he won the Sports Festival."

"Tied. He tied, and won via forfeit if victory by the other boy. And who was to say I wasn't disappointed in what I've been told."

"What happened to wanting me to be happy?"

"I believe you'd be much happier with a successor actually worthy of One For All."

"Now you listen here Mirai. You have no idea-"

"All Might can I talk to you for a minute!?" Both adults stopped their bickering and turned to Izuku. Toshinori stood reluctantly, but Izuku's eyes plead with him. "Please." Toshinori raised his hands in defeat, and walked out. He turned to Sir, "Would you excuse us for a moment?" He rushed out the door and closed it. He whipped around to Toshinori, "What the hell was that!?"

"It was me remembering why exactly we stopped talking. He's been watching you, seeing what you can do. And even after all this time, he still won't give you a chance. Here I am, apologizing for being so stubborn and not thinking about his opinion on the matter, when he's so stubborn he refuses to even get to know you. I chose _you. _It happened. I didn't regret it then, I certainly don't regret it now, and I will never regret it. It was my quirk. Not his. And now it's yours, right where it should be. He needs to get over it."

All Might finished his rant and leaned back against the wall. Izuku had never seen Toshinori so aggravated at someone before. He couldn't help but feel guilty. He knew it wasn't his fault at all, but it still felt like he was the cause of the rift that formed between All Might and his sidekick. "I tend to have a knack for people not liking me at first glance."

"It pisses me off."

"Well, I-I do understand where he's coming from."

"Young Izuku don't-"

"Hold on. Even you have to admit, Togata would have been a great fit."

"Not as good as you."

"Maybe. Togata is one of the strongest people I've met. He told us on the train just how much effort he put into training his quirk. He would've been great. And a certain someone I know also didn't give me a chance at first. He even said I couldn't be a hero. But then I was able to prove him wrong. Maybe I have to do this for Nighteye too. Maybe I just have to prove him wrong."

"...You're never gonna let our first time meeting go, are you?"

"We'll see. Now, wish me luck." Izuku went back inside Nighteye's office, the former sidekick leaning on his front desk in deep thought. "Sorry about that. He'll be back in a minute. Oh, and it was the Vinegar Child incident by the way."

Nighteye raised a brow, "Excuse me?"

"My impression. The child All Might saved that turned water into vinegar while drowning. It got in his eyes and All Might was squinting during the interview."

"...Not many know about that interview. Not even the most dedicated fan pages and forums talk about it. At the end of it, when the child apologized, All Might said-"

"Apologize? I should be thanking you. I look ten years younger now."

Sir gave a small, breathy chuckle. But he went back to his serious face. "Your papers." He walked behind his desk and sat down. Izuku beamed as he pulled them out of his bag, thinking he succeeded. "This won't be like your internships. You'll work here for a month, at least. You will be compensated, and you'll be called out of school at many points."

"Of course!"

"No interruptions. Due to that, you will be behind many of your classmates."

"I understand. I'll just work harder than ever."

"Quite. Once I stamp your form, the contract is complete."

"Thank you!" Izuku placed the paper in front of Nighteye...who stamped the table.

"...You uh...You missed."

"That's because I have no intention of stamping this paper."

"What!? But you said-"

"I said the stamp makes it official. I never actually said I was going to stamp it did I? Here's the issue. You clearly have much to gain from signing on here. But what exactly do I have to gain from it? I already have two sidekicks, and a student. What do you bring to the table? How can you benefit society? All Might gave people hope with his power and humor. They accepted him with ease. You must prove with actions that you're worth it, not with words."

Sir lifted his stamp in the air, "You have three minutes to take this from me. You want to be taught at my side? Then stamp it yourself. I won't fight back and any amount of damage to me or the room is fine as long as you pass."

Izuku gave a slight frown, _'He's trying to get rid of me. With his quirk, he thinks I can't take it from him. He still doesn't believe I'm the right successor. This is more than just a test for a work study. It's a test for his approval as the next wielder.' _Izuku crouched down, his body arcing with lightning. _'But, wait...If he can see my future, then doesn't he already know if I passed or not?' _

"30 seconds have passed. I'm waiting for you to stop muttering."

_'...Crap.' _ Izuku shot around the room, not attacking just yet. Izuku knew Nighteye could see the future, but not to its fullest extent. All Might told him that Nighteye's quirk was like a silent film. It was from a 3rd person perspective, and it was only of the person he used his quirk on. He might be able to see what was going to happen, but he could only react so fast.

And, at this point, Izuku was fairly confident in his speed.

Izuku bursted at Nighteye, and swiped at the stamp...and missed. Nighteye shook his head in disappointment. "You know my quirk, yet you still try and steal the seal like a brute. I know every move your going to make. It doesn't matter how fast you are. I know all of your movements. You can't catch something if it's not there when you go after it." Izuku skidded to a halt across the room. "Although, I must admit you make it far more difficult than expected. You could beat Gran Torino in a race."

Izuku smirked at the compliment.

"And he's an old man out of his prime. So I'd say you're still utterly mediocre. And now look at you, just standing there not knowing how to counter my Foresight. With the shadow casting over this world with All Might gone, we need a great hero now. We need someone who can actually smile through the shadows. One For All should have gone to Togata." Izuku clenched his fist. "We may clash from time to time, but I still have the utmost love and respect for All Might. But you may have guessed from our argument just a few minutes ago, I still don't understand his vision. I don't see what's so great about you." Izuku closed his eyes and grit his teeth.

"Mirio Togata should have received One For All. I do not, and cannot approve of you."

_"You too can become a hero." _

Izuku began to shake. "...He saw something in me. He_ chose me _."

"I know. What I can't understand is why he chose a nobody like you."

...Nobody...A nobody. Someone that didn't even _exist _. If that had happened any other week, Izuku might've taken it. But after everything, after finally breaking out of the shell around his soul. After everything Momo had said to him, after everything All Might and his mom said to him, after being with his friends. The first people to actually, _finally _make him feel like a somebody. Somebody that actually existed.

Somebody that actually mattered.

_'Quirkless freak!' 'You'll never go anywhere.' 'Who cares about you?' 'You're a fucking pebble on the side of the road.' _

"Then what the hell were you!?"

"...Pardon?"

"What the hell were you before you met All Might!? A nobody! What the hell was All Might before he became a hero!? A nobody! Everyone is a nobody! They have to make something of themselves! _I _have to make something of myself! I HAVE MADE SOMETHING OF MYSELF! I can finally see it! All Might sees it!"

Izuku grabbed onto the other desk next to him, and threw it at Nighteye, who dodged to the right.

"Gran Torino sees it!"

He bounced around the room, grabbing onto shelves, office plants, trash cans, throwing them to either side of Nighteye. The former sidekick dodging to the left and right repeatedly with every object thrown.

"The past wielders see it!"

_*Crack* _

Black Whip shot out of Izuku's arms, flinging straight at Nighteye. Mirai tried jumping to the left...but hit his desk. As he looked around, he realized what had happened. Throwing the objects wasn't Izuku just having a tantrum. He had carefully aimed each object to be placed on either side of Nighteye, piling up on both sides of the room until it surrounded Sir.

He had completely blocked Nighteye into one single spot. He had nowhere to go.

Black Whip swished around Nighteye's body, locking him to the ground and his arms to his sides.

Izuku had countered his Foresight. Nighteye saw all of Izuku's movements, but he didn't know what the purpose of the movements were for. The objects he couldn't predict, and Izuku knew that.

"The love of my life sees it!"

_*ZAP* _

"Tesla Whips!" Energy rocketed through the whips and shook Nighteye to the core. The electricity was not enough to cause real damage, but to keep him unmoving. Izuku shot up to 15% and burst right to Nighteye, his hand clasping around the seal, yanking it from Nighteye's hand in the blink of an eye.

"And you'll see it too. I promise."

Nighteye slumped against his desk as the whips released him. Izuku stepped up to the desk and stamped down hard on the paper. As he did, he shocked out of his stupor, realizing what had just happened. "U-Uh...Don't worry. I made sure all of your All Might books landed safely, and your 10th anniversary poster and all the rest of them don't have a scratch. Those things are priceless to fans like you and I. And, sorry about the whips. I hope I didn't hurt you...I-I'll have Mirio show me to my room...Bye" Izuku rushed out of the room and bumped into All Might.

Toshinori grabbed onto his shoulders,"I heard screaming. What ha-..." He looked inside the office to see it was a wreck. "...What the hell happened?"

He was suddenly shoved into the room by Izuku. "Now you two make up and don't kill each other! By the way Nighteye I need the 23rd off! I'm gonna go have a panic attack now!"

_*Slam* _

And like that, he was gone. Toshinori turned back to Nighteye, who was standing by his desk in stupor. "Well...he passed." He walked behind his desk and pulled out two small glasses, and a bottle of sake. "Take a seat, please. I think we have a lot to catch up on and work out."

"I can't drink."

"I know. Both cups are for me." Even though Toshinori was still slightly irritated with Nighteye, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Still have that good sense of humor, eh Mirai?"

"I try. But your successor's sense of humor is...strange. I hope he can at least make his girlfriend laugh."

Toshinori pulled up a chair and sat down, "How do you know he has a girlfriend?"

"He said so in his shouting…"

"Ah, I see."

"I also saw his future. He gets laid next week."

"Well good for-Hold up. What?"

**A/N: Once again, shameless promo for my IzuToga oneshot. Check it out fools. Momo's thoughts on the Symbol of Peace aren't done. They're going to come back as a point for how I want Izuku to be portrayed in the future. He'll still be a great image and symbol for the world, just not in the same way as All Might. And no, Izuku didn't change the future here. Nighteye just didn't interpret the future completely or to it's fullest extent. Besides, his power and time in MHA is convoluted as shit.**


	49. Ghost of the Past

**A/N: Okay, so I've gotten enough comments about it, so I think I should address it. Now this may surprise all of you, but when I say this I'm completely serious. You may not believe me. But I make sure I do this whenever I write him.**

**I don't write Katsuki with a bias.**

**I may not like him. But I write Bakugou with no bias in mind. People with bias ask me to expel him or punish him harder than I already have, but I refuse to do that. I write Katsuki to have consequences for his actions, as everyone should. No matter the character, they deserve consequences for their actions. Bakugou just so happens to have a lot of actions to have consequences for. Really bad actions. I'm trying to write his and Izuku's situation as realistically as I can for a Shonen anime, and have it to be where Bakugou remains a relevant character within the show.**

** If I wrote him objectively, it would be purely about my emotions against him. He will not be immediately forgiven, as no one realistically would. Canon Izuku might. But not this version where he's been shown that it's okay to care about himself and how he feels once in awhile. I was told that their fight should've remained the same. That it was a pivotal point in their relationship where they become rivals and Bakugou kinda starts to care about Izuku**

**...Did you not read my story? **

**It was pivotal, and Bakugou did start to care. But not just that. In my version, Bakugou not only starts to care, but his eyes are finally being fucking opened. Relationships like theirs take time, and my treatment of Bakugou has a plan. It's not going to be one fucking fight and then suddenly everyone is cupcakes and rainbows. That's dumb. And yes that's a slap at canon. MHA is my favorite show if not thing of all time. Kohei Horikoshi is my favorite artist and his work has inspired me and helped me through more than anyone knows. But it has things about it I think could be handled better. But I know what I'm doing with Bakugou. In fact, the next chapter will be very special for Bakugou in a good way. I don't say this often, especially about my writing, but with Bakugou I know what I'm doing. Just trust me on this one.**

**And now, the second thing I've gotten a good handful of comments about. Momo. Not her character or her development. But her involvement. The first thing is people think she's too involved in Izuku and Katsuki's relationship. Here's the thing. Izuku and Momo are loved ones. They are in love, and are protective over the other. Momo had a boy help her with confidence and self deprecation. But then she realized that the same boy that helped her and she fell in love with was also broken. And she found the cause. Katsuki. So what would you (hopefully) do? Be protective and try to help. But when the problem is Katsuki, you try to get the hell away. But Izuku was mentally attached to Katsuki, and still is. So she tried to break it. Momo is supposed to be the audience in this situation. Kinda. But anyway, and are you telling me you wouldn't hate the person that hurt your loved one for years? Momo is trying to create a wedge in between the two for Izuku's health, but those two are too stubborn for even her. So when Izuku said he wants to handle it himself, she finally decides to put her trust in him and stand down unless Izuku becomes attached again. At least, attached in the same way as before.**

**Now the second thing about Momo. Her involvement in everything. I do think it's a valid point to say she's involved in too many events in Izuku's life. It's a bit forced. But, one she's trying to fix it by splitting up for a bit. And two, they're a new couple. Or at least kind of new. They're attached at the damn hip. Being together is all they want to do. Especially Izuku who has touch starvation and abandonment problems. Separation isn't something he wants. But it's also a pairing fic. Having one of the two main characters suddenly vanish completely from an arc wouldn't make any sense. And again, that's why they're separating for this piece of the story. They need to see how they handle themselves on their own and they can still be heroes alone. They need to see that the other isn't a crutch, but just a helpful partner. And yes, Momo is going to be at the raid, but they're doing their own individual thing. Izuku is definitely going to be entirely dead set on Eri more than absolutely anything. They're going to be apart, but together.**

**Now, I know this all sounds like white knighting or trying to call people out. But it's not. I take constructive criticism very seriously. Half of this story is born from criticism, suggestions, etc. But my point of view needs to be shown and understood. I know I can't please everyone. Jesus fucking Christ, writing this story has shown me that more than anything. But I'm trying my damnedest. And I just hit 50,000 hits on AO3, 2000 followers and 1800 favorites on FFN, and nearly 3,000 votes on Wattpad.**

**I guess gotta be doing at least something right.**

**Sorry for the long speech. I love this story, and I love the people that read and comment and laugh at my stupid jokes. Even the people who give it a try and it's not for them. I feel the need to address everything I can and make sure nothing important goes ignored.**

**...And since I'm doing this, no Mirio isn't just blind when phasing through things. Activating his quirk means he's blind and deaf. Light and soundwaves pass through his body. He can't receive it through his eyes and therefore is blind whenever it is activated. Not just when passing through objects. Sorry, I just needed to say that after someone commented it. I might as well just make everyone pissed off. I got nothing to lose... except readers...fuck.**

**Also I'm taking another big risk with this chapter. Even bigger than the "Dad" thing. Actually WAY bigger than the "Dad" thing. I'm bringing in a character that I've wanted to do for awhile, but only now felt like it was a good time for. And they kind of subverts expectations. They do have a pretty important role for Izuku down the line. Oh boy please don't be mad at me.**

...

**(Fatgum Agency)**

"Should...we be concerned?"

Momo stared in awe at Fatgum scarfing down literal pounds of mochi off of his desk. Tamaki shook his head. "No. This is actually his cheat day. This is usually where he makes a remark about my physique."

_*Munch* _"You got that right Amajiki. Once we get you all bulked up, you'll be able to eat anything you want and stay fit." Tamaki pulled his sweatshirt hood up and burrowed his face inside, turning away from the group in embarrassment. The last plate of mochi was polished off, and Fatgum stood from his chair. "Sorry 'bout that! You guys caught me during linner."

Kirishima and Momo looked at one another in confusion, and the redhead looked back to the pro. "Uh, linner?"

"Lunch and dinner. Linner. It's like brunch...Or second brunch."

"Just being in the room with you makes me want to eat a salad."

"I get that a lot. So! Amajiki brought you two along for the work study. What exactly made you two choose me?"

Kirishima smiled brightly and puffed his chest out. "You're all about resilience, power, and having a great relationship with people! I've felt behind all of my classmates for awhile and I think you are the perfect guy to teach me to better myself."

"I like your attitude! Bright, tough, and ready to rumble!" He whipped out his pen and took Kirishima's papers, signing quickly. "Now how about you?" He said, turning to Yaoyorozu. "You were Edgeshot's student. He already sent a billion messages telling me to take you in...and a couple death threats saying not to hurt you. But I want to hear you out for myself."

Momo gave a small smile, happy that her mentor still remembered her fondly. But, she then realized she didn't really have a great reason like Ejirou.

"Well, my quirk also uses the fats in my body. I was hoping you could teach me all about conservation and such. Perhaps help me push the limits of what I can create."

"Hey! Another fatty like me!"

Momo's eyes widened, "Uh-"

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant you also use fats. Fatty! It's what I call people like us. Also, don't tell Edgeshot I called you a fatty. I like my teeth where they are." He signed her papers immediately. He leaned back in his chair, tapping his pen to his lips. "Now I have three students under my wing. This should prove interesting. Very interesting."

_*Chomp* _He bit his pen in half and swallowed.

Momo and Ejirou both looked at one another in shock. Momo raised a hand, "Did...you just eat your pen?"

"Oh, don't worry. They're made of chocolate."

"... Don't they still have ink in them?"

"I need my stomach pumped twice a month. But it's worth it. Come on! I'll show you to your rooms."

Momo couldn't help but chuckle a bit. _'I wonder is Izuku and All Might are having just as strange a time.' _

…

**(Nighteye Agency)**

"Why!? Why would you tell me that!? I don't wanna know that! Oh God it's in my head! I can't stop thinking about it! I'd rather fight All For One again!"

"They're teenagers All Might. It's natural."

"I don't care! Oh God! Why are you so casual about it!?"

Nighteye sighed, "I'm sadly desensitized. You don't want to know how many times I've unfortunately had to see people "get it on" in their future. Honestly I figured you'd be proud."

"No!...I mean, I am proud but I just don't want to picture it! Oh dear lord did you see them naked!?"

"Oh, no. It was after they were done and under the covers."

Toshinori pressed a hand to his chest and sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness. Izuku might've killed you if you saw Young Yaoyorozu naked. Not to mention In-...Oh no. What am I gonna tell Inko?"

"And she is?"

"His mother." Toshinori put his head in his hands. This was what he got for saying he wouldn't keep secrets anymore.

"First name basis, huh? Well that's...Hm...I do remember seeing glimpses of a green haired woman in your future...Wait." He squinted his eyes at Toshinori. "Midoriya wouldn't happen to be your love child, would he? Is that why you gave him your quirk?"

"No."

"Oh...I didn't expect such a casual response."

Toshinori pursed his lips, "Now I'm the desensitized one. You would be surprised how many times I've been asked that."

"Then, what is your relationship with the boys mother?"

"... It's complicated."

"You're together with his mother and you've become a sort of father to him."

"I guess it's not that complicated."

Mirai shook his head and leaned back in his seat. "I guess it makes sense. He became something like a son to you and you give him your quirk."

"I actually decided to give it to him the day I met him."

"...Seriously?"

"Well, technically ten months later. But I knew he was the one. Is there a problem with that?"

Sir raised his hands in defeat, "I'm done fighting you on this. After all your praise and the boys actions, I'm finally willing to see what he's capable of. He seems to have a lot to prove, and he fully intends on showing me. If he can do that, then I'll believe our problems will be solved."

Toshinori breathed out a laugh, "A lot to prove? Hehehe. You have no idea."

"So...a romantic partner? I honestly didn't expect that from you."

Toshinori chuckled, "Well... it's been crazy since that day in the hospital."

"Please, tell me about it" Mirai said, pouring another cup of sake. After all that time, it was nice to finally have a regular conversation with All Might again. It was like old times.

"Well then, I think I'll skip to the good parts. It started with a sludge monster."

…

Izuku splashed water on his face and looked at himself in the mirror of the bathroom adjoined to his room at the agency. Night had fallen and he was getting ready for bed. Hours had passed since his trial against Nighteye, and it had been bothering him.

Sure, he had passed the test. But, it further solidified Izuku's fear of growing something he didn't want.

A temper.

His outburst against Katsuki seemed to have a sort of effect on him. After years of trying to forget his past, embracing it flipped a switch in his head. All of the pent up aggression he had built up over the years seemed to not be done yet. He had used a good amount when fighting Bakugou, but some was still stored in the back of his head.

Izuku sighed and shook his head. "Black Whip responds to emotion. Maybe it's getting in my head. I guess having 7 other people in your head probably doesn't help either."

"I'll say."

"AH!" Izuku jumped back from the mirror as a voice popped into his head. He looked up to see someone standing in the mirror next to his own reflection.

Nana Shimura.

…

"Wait, so he really forgot he had legs? That wasn't a joke?"

Toshinori chuckled, "Young Izuku has his moments."

Nighteye gave a laugh of his own and leaned back in his seat. "You've really grown fond of him."

"And you will too once you get to know him."

"Not to the degree you are. Even with my quirk, I wouldn't have ever guessed you would settle down and have a family."

"I'd hardly call what my life is right now settling down."

"Fair enough. But now you have luxuries that most heroes would die to have. Even Endeavor, who has a family, can't live make it work on a functional level."

Toshinori scoffed, "Endeavor's family isn't functional for far more reasons than him being busy with hero work. He's a terrible father. I still don't understand how those charges simply disappeared from his record."

"A man of his influence has their ways. It's a shame. People like him have the power to do that sort of thing."

"I'm just happy Young Todoroki came out alright...Well, alright is a strong word."

"Hm?"

"Okay, this is a whole other story."

...

"These guys up in your head are a real talkative bunch. I'd get angry too."

"U-Uh...I-...Hello."

"Hey Midoriya. You up for a little chat?"

"...S-Sure."

Nana chuckled and leaned against the sink...Or at least it looked like she did in the reflection even though she wasn't actually there. "How're holding up?"

"Wh-...What?"

"It's called English...Or Japanese? This whole language thing is screwy when it comes to which version you watch."

"Huh?"

"Okay, this isn't working." Nana snapped her fingers repeatedly. "Focus kid. I'm losing ya."

Izuku shook his head vigorously and regained his bearings. "S-Sorry, it's just that I wasn't expecting this. How is this happening!? I thought I had to be asleep for this to happen."

"Usually, but we're always a part of you. Awake or asleep doesn't really matter."

"And it's just an honor to meet you! You're All Might's teacher! You taught the greatest hero of all time!"

Nana giggled, "Don't flatter me so much kid. You have a girlfriend."

"And also...That's it?"

She raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

"Whenever the past wielders come around it's for something majorly important. But, you appear all of a sudden and just ask me how I'm doing?"

Nana pursed her lips and looked up in thought. "Hmm? Yeah that sounds about right." She walked out of frame and disappeared from the mirror. Izuku leaned in and tried to search for her.

"Hahahahahaha!" Izuku heard the laughter come from the main bedroom, and opened the door. Nana was look into his opened duffel bag and laughing her heart out. "Oh my God I forgot you actually brought it! Hahahahahaha!"

...The duffel bag.

...with the pillow.

"AAAAAAAH!" Izuku shot forward and grabbed the bag, throwing it across the room. He turned around blushing as Nana laughed so hard she fell back on the bed.

From the little he knew about Nana, All Might held her in the highest respect. It was like she was a parent to him. She was the person that passed down her ideals and heroics to All Might, the Symbol of Peace. She sounded like one of the greatest heroes to ever live. So, Izuku was surprised at how she was so…

Laid-back.

The door suddenly slammed open to reveal Mirio in a set of pajamas. "Midoriya!? I heard screaming! What's going on!?"

Izuku was immediately terrified. Having a random woman on his bed late at night with his girlfriend not around looked terrible. But, Mirio looked around and saw nothing but Midoriya.

"Uh... Midoriya? You have a nightmare or something?"

Nana turned to Izuku, "Do you wanna explain, or should I?"

"Uh, yeah. Sorry Togata. Just a nightmare."

"Ah, it's alright man. I get it. The pressure can get to you. It's just-...Just…" Mirio looked down at the ground. Izuku followed his eyes and saw the now fully open and duffel bag with the...item that had fallen out.

Mirio's face was completely blank.

Izuku's face was sweating profusely.

And Nana was trying not to laugh.

"Hm...Hm...Kay bye!" Mirio slammed the door shut, leaving Izuku to his embarrassment. Izuku crouched down and put his head in his hands.

Nana wiped her eye and sat up, "Yeah that's kind of my fault for scaring you. Sorry." Izuku looked up in exasperation.

"Bu-...I-...How did he not see you!?"

Nana pointed down at her lap, and Izuku saw that there was no dip in the bed where she sat. It was like she wasn't sitting there at al-...Oh.

She tapped his forehead. "I'm in your head Kid. No one sees or hears you but me."

"In my head like I'm crazy? Or in my head like you're actually a remnant of Shimura?"

"Yes."

"...I guess I should've expected that."

Nana patted the spot next to her, "Take a seat. Let's talk." Izuku decided to just roll with it, and sat down. His life was the strangest rollercoaster. "So, like I said before. How are you holding up?"

"Uh, fine I guess. Why?"

She shrugged, "I wanna know. I might be in your head, but I can't read your thoughts. You're kind of like my grandkid, so I care. Well, my grandkid that _didn't _turn evil."

"Oh, yeah. About that I-"

"It's alright. I have my regrets, but I won't dwell on them now that I'm gone. I can't do anything about it now. I can't talk to him, and I doubt he would care if I could. But I can talk to you about your problems. Like that Bakugou boy."

"He's... something."

Nana chuckled, "That's one way to put it. Are you certain about handling it on your own?"

Izuku nodded, "I'm more than grateful for everyone's support. But I just really think it's time to do it myself. If I can do it alone, than I know I really have gotten better. And if he can change, than he can prove that he's gotten better too."

"You really think he can change?"

"I want to give him a chance at least. Everyone deserves that."

"...You're a lot like Toshinori. Speaking of which, I should thank you. Ever since my death and his injury, I was so scared for him. He was starting to grow cynical. That smile of his was turning more fake by the day. And then you came along. You changed everything. He knows that, and the other wielders and I know that. He was like a son to me, and you saved him. Thank you."

"It's nothing, really. I didn't really do anything. But, I was wondering. You said All Might was like a son to you. What about your real son? Shigaraki's father."

"That...is a whole other situation. But it's alright."

Izuku's lips pursed as he gazed a Nana. Something he noticed about her was that, even while talking about her villain turned grandson and her son that she left, she never stopped smiling. She had been smiling since he began talking to her.

"Y-You...You don't have to hide things you know. I know it must hurt."

She gave a slight chuckle, "That's ironic coming from you."

"Yeah, a little. I wish I had the same attitude as you. Being able to smile through everything is what All Might inspired me to try and do when I was a kid. It's what inspired everyone to not be scared. It's the kind of hero that I want to be someday."

She nodded, Yeah. It's bullshit."

That...was not what Izuku was expecting. "Never stop smiling" was what she taught All Might. It was her philosophy before All Might's. And...she thinks its bullshit?

"What?"

"It's all bullshit. It's just like Toshinori said. We're terrified behind that smile. Smiling is just a mask to hide the pain. It works for the people. But it's tough on us."

"But isn't that part of the self sacrifice? That's what being a hero is all about. Sacrificing yourself for the happiness and safety of others."

She smirked down at him and ruffled his hair, "You're something special, you know that? But you're also forgetting something essential about heroes."

"Hm? What?"

"We're human."

Izuku raised a brow, "I'm confused."

Nana stood up and walked around the room. Being the Nighteye Agency, All Might memorabilia was everywhere. Even in the rooms for guests. She stood in front of an All Might poster from his Silver Age. She motioned for him to join her. Izuku stepped up next to her and gazed at the poster.

"What's that say?"

Izuku looked to where she was pointing to see the line written at the top of the poster.

_**"Anyone Can Be A Hero!"**_

"How much bullshit is that?" Nana said, scoffing. "They make sure of that. You know that more than anyone."

"Well, I mean it's possible for anyone to-"

"Yeah, your girlfriend says that. And she's a genius, don't get me wrong. And I'm not saying it's impossible. But, tell me. Do you think everyone could pass the U.A entrance exam? With giant killer robots and such? Someone with weak quirks, quirkless, or non combat oriented quirks?"

"Well, Mr. Aizawa-"

"Didn't have the same test as you," Nana said. "That entrance exam has changed over the years, and it's gotten harder and harder as time went on as they looked for the best of the best. Only the strongest or flashiest powers. Anyone can be a hero, but hardly anyone can be a pro."

Izuku's heart was looking for a way to refute her, but nothing came up. He knew it was difficult. If he tried to take the entrance exam quirkless, he would have failed no doubt. Sure there were people like Hagakure, but flashiness and utility were likely in play to her passing.

"And then you have the one above all. Toshinori. All Might, The Symbol of Peace. The Mightiest of the Mighty. He became even greater than I expected. I couldn't be prouder." Izuku squinted at the poster, still confused at where Nana was going.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Of course it is. But all good things come with the bad. A symbol for good stops crime. And it also spawns hate for it from villains. The number one hero is the sword and shield for heroes. But it also creates a power vacuum when they're gone. No one can fill his shoes, at least not in the same way. A symbol inspires others...but it discourages them at the same time."

Izuku did a double take. "Wait, what? What do you mean in discourages people?"

Nana looked at him for a second, and began floating around in the air. "Izuku? Can I call you that?"

"Uh, sure."

"Izuku, what did All Might inspire you to be before he gave you his power?"

"A hero. The number one hero."

"The number one hero? Or even greater than All Might himself?"

Izuku furrowed in brow in thought. "Well, I guess just the number one hero. I thought no one could ever be better than All Might. But now I want to surpass him."

"True, but that was only after you realized he was injured, and then you got his quirk which is guaranteed to make you stronger than him. You have people like Endeavor and Bakugou who want to surpass All Might. But, that's for egotistical reasons. You could show them a literal god and they would try to beat it. And then you have the other 98%, who do see a god. All Might. Those who view All Might like a god, someone who is untouchable, who can never be beat, doesn't really inspire. He inspires them in some ways. Like to better themself and such. But, when there is something that everyone believes can't be beat, what's the point? Why would anyone bother trying to be a hero if they'll never be the best?"

"Well, don't they want to help people?"

"Perhaps. But Toshinori saved more people than anybody. Why try when someone does it far better, faster, and more frequently than you can? Not everyone is as pure hearted as you. Stuff like that matters to many. Even those of you who still become heroes, you still think you can't be better than All Might. If no one is trying to beat the best, then nothing gets done. People settle for where they're at. All Might becomes the peak of heroes. No one wants to fight anymore. There's no fire and passion pushing society forward. And then, what happens when All Might is suddenly touchable?"

Nana floated all around as slow speeds, doing small flips and turns as she went. "Nothing. Nothing happens. After Kamino, the power vacuum burst open. No one wanted Endeavor, but no one wants to fight for themselves. All Might's smile still shields their hearts. Which was the point, and which I taught him to do."

Izuku sat back down on the bed in concentration. "I still don't understand. If it's what you taught him, then isn't it a good thing?" Nana stopped flying around, and stopped mid air in front of Izuku.

"The smile was meant to keep confidence high. To boost morale in times of danger. It was meant to show people to never back down and to keep fighting. But, Toshinori was the only one fighting. Everyone just sits back and waits for him to save the day. Even now after he's gone, people use that smile and instead of using it to inspire their will to fight, it's a blindfold. Villain activity is on the rise fast, and everyone isn't scared. Besides the heroes that know the real threats. All Might put away the big villain, and he's still alive. They're trying to simply ignore their problems because the Symbol of Peace has taken care of their problems for years, and now they've tricked themselves into thinking nothing has changed. In short, when there is a hero above humanity, there is no self reliance."

Izuku threw his hands up and began pacing around the room. "What am I supposed to do then!? I was supposed to take All Might's place as The Symbol of Peace! But now you're telling me it's a bad thing! What am I supposed to do!? What am I supposed to be then!?"

"Aren't you supposed to answer that question?" Izuku sighed and ran a and through his hair. "I love Toshinori. I used to be all for his idea of a symbol. Hell, I trained him to be one. But, I've been watching over him for a long time. I've watched his career and life from the inside. And now seeing the aftermath and the path you're taking...I guess I'm not sure anymore." She landed back down and took Izuku's head in her hands. "Listen. I know this is hard for you. What Toshinori did was incredible. He changed the world. Toshinori was one of the greatest things to ever happen. But, now his time has passed and the consequences of him being retired are beginning to show. I don't know what you should do."

"Well then why are you here?"

Nana chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. "I wanted to meet you. I wanted to help you. I don't know. A lot of things. I'm tired of just sitting back and watching you struggle with so much. I let my son down. I let my grandson down. I let Toshinori down. I'm not letting you down too. Even if you don't really know me. Call it a mother's intuition even if I'm far from the best mother. I'm actually not really supposed to be doing this right now. The others told me not to interfere. But I don't care. I want to help however I can. I don't know what the true answer, but I have no doubt you'll figure it out. You're a smart kid."

The room suddenly went pitch black around them. The eyes of the other wielders appeared behind Nana. "I guess my time is up for tonight. Don't worry. I'll see you really soon." She put a finger on each corner of Izuku's lip and pushed up. "Keep that smile up Izuku...Or don't. Like I said, it's still really confusing." Nana began backing up into the darkness, the black consuming her body.

"Wait! I still have questions! Like what was your childhood like? How did you become a hero? What was your quirk?"

"Didn't you see me floating before? Don't worry about it. You'll figure it all out soon enough."

The last thing Izuku saw before she vanished was her smile. The darkness dissipated, and Izuku's room turned back to normal. The door suddenly opened, and Toshinori peeked through.

"Young Izuku? Were you talking to yourself? I wa-..."

Toshinori also saw the pillow.

"Hm...Hm...Kay bye."

Izuku groaned and slumped back on his bed. Everything kept getting more and more complicated.

…

"Are you serious!?"

Izuku did his final push up, and sat back crossing his legs. All Might had woken him up at the crack of dawn for training. "Yeah. It was her. She told me a lot about who I should be in the future and how your retirement has more consequences than predicted."

"I-...I mean it was really Nana? Just there talking?"

"Yeah."

"Do...Do you think because I'm a past wielder that I can see her too?"

"Uh…" Izuku shot his eyes to the right of All Might where Nana stood. She shrugged at him in a panicked motion. "Who knows?"

"I sure hope so. I'd love to talk to her after all this time. If she comes back, tell her I miss her." When Nana said she would see Izuku really soon, he didn't expect it to be the next morning.

**(1 Hour Ago)**

"Rise and shine Young Midoriya! It's training time." All Might walked through the door and opening the blinds to the window. "Get your-Oh my goodness." Izuku was rubbing the sleep from his eyes with one arm, and the other arm was firmly wrapped around the body pillow.

"Don't judge me."

"I didn't say anything. Just get ready and meet me out front in 15 minutes. We'll head out to a nearby park." Toshinori awkwardly rushed out of the room, leaving Izuku to get ready. He sat up and put the pillow under his bed. The teen walked to the bathroom opened the door. Nana was checking her teeth in the mirror.

"Occupied."

"Oh, sorry." Izuku closed the door and leaned against the wall, waiting for her to be done.

"...Wait a second." He shoved the door open and Nana turned to her with a raised brow.

"Do you always rush in on girls using the bathroom?"

"First, you can't use the bathroom. You're a ghost...or remnant? Second, what are you doing here!?"

"I said you'd see me soon, and that I was gonna help you. By the way, you do realize Dove has a men's line of products right?" Nana said, lifting up his body wash bottle.

"The women's wash smells better!"

"Hey I'm not judging, just asking."

…

**(Present)**

They had both agreed to keep her presence secret for now. He was allowed to tell All Might about last night, but knowing she was there all the time could prove difficult for him to cope with. Especially since he couldn't see her.

It was weird having her around like that. And by weird, he meant REALLY WEIRD. Having a technically dead woman in your head made every social encounter awkward for him. When Nighteye was telling him what time to be back for patrol, Nana was pretending to pick his nose the whole time.

Nana donned a happy look at Toshinori's admission, and tried to hug him...only to pass right through him. "Oh, right."

Izuku held back his laughter and stood up, "It's almost time for patrol. Let's get back to the agency."

Toshinori checked his watch and nodded. "Ah, you're right. Let's go." Izuku began walking with All Might back to the agency.

_*Bzzt* _

Izuku checked his phone to see Momo had woken up for the day. _"Morning Izuku. Did you sleep well?" _

Izuku sighed and sent back, _"You have no idea how much happened last night." _

_… _

Momo raised a brow at her phone as she stood outside the agency building with the boys as citizens walked by. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A man suddenly came from the crowd and leaned on one arm against the wall next to Momo. "Hey Honey. You're a hero right? Well why don't you save me?" The sleazy man said with a pitiful attempt at a flirtatious attitude.

"I'm 15."

"Ah well would you look at the time! I better get going or I'm gonna miss that thing I gotta be at! I didn't touch her at all! Everyone saw it!" He broke out into a sprint and ran into the crowd, disappearing.

The other three watched in amusement at the sight. Fatgum smiled, "Hmph. I like her."

_... _

Nana leaned over Izuku's shoulder. "Is that Momo? Say 'Hi' for me!" Izuku moved his phone away from Nana.

"Don't read my texts."

All Might looked at Izuku weirdly. "Uh, I wasn't."

"R-Right. Sorry."

...Nana wasn't going to make it easy on him, was she?

…

"I still can't believe the Yakuza could be making a comeback." Izuku walked next to Mirio as they walked through the streets on patrol. Nana had vanished when they returned to the agency. She wanted him to be able to focus on his work. "And to think that the League could be working with them, and we're out patrolling for them."

Mirio nodded, "I know. It's scary to think about. I feel bad for you though. The only time you patrolled, you ran into the Hero Killer. I'm sure it would be pretty daunting to come back out here again."

"Actually, it doesn't scare me all that much. I'm just nervous because I don't have a lot of real experience in the professional field."

"Ah, I see. Well don't worry! I'll show you the ropes! Just follow Lemillion!" Mirio began fidgeting his arms around wildly as he walked through the streets.

"Lemillion?"

"Oh, right. That's my hero name! I want to save one million people some day. I'm not there yet obviously, but I'll get there. What about you? What's your hero name?"

"I'm Deku."

"...Doesn't that mean worthless?"

"Yeah, but it means a lot to me now. I used to hate it, but now I see it differently."

Mirio shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever floats your boat. As long as we use these names and dawn these costumes, we're heroes!" Izuku nodded and placed his mouthguard on, popped up the visor, and put his hood over his head. Mirio looked at him confused. "Okay, I get that Deku has significant meaning to you. But, why the bunny ears?"

"They're not bunny ears. They're supposed to be like All Mights front bangs...Do I look like a rabbit?"

"Whaaaaaat? N-...Nooooo. Not at all" Mirio said, shifting his eyes away. Izuku looked off to the side to see Nana suddenly appear. She nodded at him with an apologetic look, and vanished.

Izuku sighed and took the hood down.

"Damn i-oof!" Izuku stumbled a bit as something his legs. He turned to see a little girl no older than 6 or 7 with white hair, red eyes, a horn on her head, and wearing what seemed to be a hospital gown of sorts. She was barefoot with bandages all over her arms and legs. Out of all those things, Izuku noticed more than the others.

She looked terrified.

"Now Eri, how rude of you. Running into this nice hero like that."

Izuku's widened as he looked up at the source of the voice. A man in a large feather collared coat, a tie, slacks, white gloves, and a plague doctor mask stood before him with cold, piercing eyes.

Kai Chisaki. The Shie Hissaikai's Young Boss.

"I'm so sorry about my daughter. She plays a little too rough sometimes."

Izuku simply sat there in shock, holding Eri. Mirio shot forward next to Izuku, his charming smile front and center. "We should be the ones apologizing. We should be looking out for all civilians. I must say, that's quite the mask. Isn't that from the Yakuza? I didn't think anyone from that group was still around." Izuku was doing his best not to panic. He was grateful that Mirio was making up for his suspicious attitude.

"Ah, don't mind the mask. It helps me keep the dirt and grime out." Izuku could tell that both Kai and Mirio were faking their friendly attitudes. Both parties wanted away from the situation as soon as possible. "You two are new around her right? What agency do you work for?"

"We're just fledgling heroes. No agencies have picked us up yet, but here's hoping. Speaking of which, they'll never take us in if we spend all day standing around. We should really continue our patrols. Come on Deku. Let's go." Izuku nodded, and tried to stand up.

"Don't go." Eri gripped harder onto his costume. Izuku looked down in shock at her. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and whatever fear he saw in her eyes earlier had multiplied. "Please. Please don't go."

It was there Izuku realized that the situation was far worse than he would have ever thought.

"Excuse me sir? Your daughter seems scared."

Kai looked down at Izuku, "Ah, sorry about that. I just got finished scolding her. But that's all over now. She'll be okay."

Izuku held her close and caressed the back of her head to his chest. "No child gets this scared from a simple scolding. And these bandages aren't normal for roughhousing while playing."

Mirio's face was forcing a smile with panicked eyes. Izuku was being more suspicious than a white van at a children's playground. Kai slightly squinted his eyes. "You shouldn't make assumptions about what's normal in someone else's household. It can cause trouble."

"And you should tell me what you're doing to this girl, or there _will _be trouble."

Mirio bundled up his cape and screamed into it. He turned back to the conversation completely normal. "Deku, we really shou-"

"Of course heroes would make assumptions like this," Kai interrupted. "Please, it's a little embarrassing and we're a very private family. If you wouldn't mind, come with me and I'll be happy to explain." Chisaki began walking into the alley. Izuku picked Eri up, and the two heroes began walking hesitantly into the alley. Izuku already had his power ready to flare up at any given notice. He reached his hand back and pulled out a small disk, placing it under Eri's sleeve on the back of her shoulder.

He whispered into her ear, "No matter what happens, I'll get you away from him."

Kai slipped his right hand down to his left. "I really am beginning to worry about Eri. Children are so unpredictable these days. No one knows what they can become. What they can cause." He slightly slipped his glove down his hand, and craned his neck to look behind him into Eri's eyes. Eri suddenly jumped down from Izuku's arms and ran to Kai. "Ah, finally behaving I see." He turned to the teens. "Sorry again for the inconvenience. Have a nice day."

Izuku took a step forward, but Mirio put his arm out to stop him. The Yakuza boss and his "daughter" disappeared down the alley out of sight.

_*SLAP* _

Mirio's hand rocketed upside Izuku's head. "What the heck is the matter with you!? What was that!? Do you not know what covert means?"

Izuku rubbed his head, pulling his phone out. "Sorry. I really am. But I couldn't just sit there and let her go back to him. Didn't you see her? She was injured and terrified out of her mind. I don't even want to think about what he's doing to her."

"Yeah, but you can't just blow our cover like that. We have no idea how dangerous he is. And...What are you doing?"

"Calling Momo."

"Midoriya, I think you're awesome. One of the coolest guys I know. But this isn't exactly the time to call up your girlfriend."

"She's the only one that can create a remote to trace the tracker I put on Eri."

"...What?"

"I had a tracking device put on me from...an event. I found it the other day and brought it with me in case of emergency."

"The emergency is you getting into trouble I assume?"

"Yep. And I put it on Eri. We can see exactly where they take her. And then we can go after her."

"Midoriya! You're a genius! Sir is going to freak out when hears this."

**(15 Minutes Later)**

Sir turned around to face the teens. "We're going to do absolutely nothing."

"Fuck."

**(Meanwhile, in Musutafu)**

_*Ding* _

Naides placed the book on the shelf and retracted his fingers. "Welcome to Yubi's Book Emporium. How can I help...you?" He sighed as he saw who came through the door.

"What do you want Bakugou?"

_Next Time: Katsuki Bakugou: Repentance _

**A/N: Like I said. Taking a risk.**


	50. Katsuki Bakugou: Repentance

"What do you want Bakugou?"

**(The Night of the Fight)**

"Sorry."

Katsuki never got to see the reaction of either Izuku or Momo. His head was down, and he had said it just as the door closed. That was no apology. Katsuki knew that.

He couldn't even look Midoriya in the face when he "apologized". To make it worse, he said it just as the elevator was leaving. He shouldn't have done that. He knew that. Katsuki knew he should just look the green-haired teen in the eye, and apologize.

But, he couldn't.

He couldn't bring himself to.

_*Ding* _

The doors of the elevators slid open, and Katsuki walked out onto his floor. As he trudged towards his room, it all kept swirling around in his head.

_"This rooftop...It's the perfect place for a swan dive, isn't it?" _

Katsuki grabbed at his hair and shook his head. He made it to his room and basically kicked the door open and slammed it shut, locking the door. It was all on loop in his head. He wanted so badly to say it was a lie. That Izuku was just exaggerating, or trying to get a rise out of him.

But, it was true. And Katsuki knew it.

Deku couldn't lie to save his life. Not about something like that.

The worst part wasn't even that Izuku had told him. It wasn't that he was punished. It wasn't that he had finally realized just how big of an impact he had on Deku.

It was that he had no fucking idea what to do about it.

He couldn't just apologize...Right?

Well, he had tried that on the elevator. But, that clearly didn't work out. How should he apologize for something like that? He couldn't. But, then the back of Katsuki's mind began intruding.

The real question wasn't, "How should I apologize?"

It was, "Why am I apologizing?"

"That fucker never said a damn thing to anyone. That's not my fucking problem! None of the teachers cared! Everyone else didn't care! They fucking knew their places, and knew what Deku's place was! If he can't handle being a worthless piece of shit, that's his problem! He can't just blame me for his weakness!"

... Katsuki wasn't very good at lying to himself.

He pushed that thought out of his mind and roughly sat down on his bed. He knew that wasn't right. He was to blame, and there was no trying to delude himself. However, he still couldn't exactly pinpoint _why _it was his fault.

It was true that no one gave a shit about Deku. None of the teachers ever did. None of the students ever did. In fact, they encouraged Katsuki's behavior towards Deku. Well, the students encouraged it. The teachers were indifferent.

If he never got in trouble for it, what was the problem?

Heroes were strong.

Villains were _weak _.

Villains were _freaks _.

_Quirkless _were freaks.

And Deku had been all three.

To a Young Katsuki, it all made sense as to why Deku was picked on. So when it all started, it just didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Deku being the "bad" one was encoded into his brain as a child.

...His brain was coded into thinking it was okay to beat the shit out of some weak kid?

_'Holy shit I'm fucked up.' _

But, Deku wasn't just some weak kid. He was quirkless. But, quirkless didn't do anything wrong. Yet, it seemed like everyone still hurt them.

When Izuku was found out to be quirkless, everyone turned on him. He was never particularly popular. But, after the quirkless diagnosis…

Everything changed.

So, if everyone ostracized Izuku, and they praised Katsuki, why was he the only one getting flak for it.

Why was it his fault?

Yes, quirkless didn't do anything wrong. And Izuku may have never exactly done anything illegal like a villain. But people sure treated him like a freak. And that freak did nothing but get in Katsuki's way of being hero. Always challenging him and acting so high and mighty. Always thinking he could still be a hero.

... Or, at least that's what Katsuki_ thought _Deku was doing.

Now, however…

"FUCK!"

*_ CRRNCH* _

The blonde's fist crashed through the wall, his fist emerging bleeding and scraped. He was lucky that no one was in the room next to him. If he had punched his other wall, Kirishima would have had a surprise waiting for him when he woke up.

He fell onto his back and into his blankets, pushing down the uncomfortable bubble inside of his stomach. He was drained, and he clearly wasn't thinking straight. He knew what he did was wrong, but his brain wouldn't allow him access to the answer. He wasn't making any sense. His mind was trying to justify his actions.

Damn, he needed sleep.

He burrowed his head into his pillow, and clamped his eyes shut. Katsuki never avoided his problems. Problems were meant to be faced head on, and fucking killed. At least, that's what he believed. Some would say trying to sleep instead of talking out the problems that need immediate resolution was avoiding the issue.

And Katsuki would agree with them.

But, this time he would make an exception.

After how intense the fight had gotten, and Recovery Girl's quirk, sleep came easy to him.

Unfortunately, his dreams were filled with small green-haired kids with impact blood splatters under them.

And that would be a continuing trend for the next week.

...

**(The Day of the Work Study)**

"Apology not accepted."

Katsuki watched as Izuku strode out of the kitchen and head towards the front door. The blonde could hear him conversing with Momo and Kirishima as if their interaction had never happened. "Damn it...God fucking damn it!"

Katsuki picked up a nearby mug and smashed it into the wall. The discomforting bubble in his core was swelling again, but he continued to press it down as best he could. He stomped out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards his room. He had tried. He had really fucking tried. As it turned out, sleep wasn't the key to thinking straight.

Or, it actually probably was. It was just too bad that Katsuki could barely sleep only a couple of hours every night since the reveal.

He had decided to say "fuck it", and apologize for real that time. It would hopefully clear his conscience, and he could move on. And as it turned out, Midoriya finally learned what a grudge was.

...Okay, a grudge was a bad word. A grudge made it sound like Izuku's anger wasn't really justified. Katsuki had at least been able to come to terms with the fact that he had gone too far.

...A lot.

But, he still had a lot of questions.

The teen only managed to make it to the 2nd floor before halting. He looked down the hallway at the boys side of the floor. The level only holding Midoriya, Iida, Tokoyami, Yaoyorozu, and Aoyama.

And the answer to some of those questions was down the hall.

He shouldn't.

He knew he shouldn't.

But, that didn't stop him from walking down the hall to Izuku's dorm door. Katsuki looked around to make sure no one, especially Four Eyes, wasn't around. He tested the knob, checking if the door was unlocked. It went all the way down, notifying Katsuki that the room was free to enter.

He stepped inside, and carefully closed the door behind him. When he flipped the switch, the lights turned on and lit up an admittedly All Might vacant room. Katsuki was expecting a full blown red, white, and blue fanboy room.

Sure, it had All Might figures on the shelf. Some damn rare ones that Katsuki recognized. If anyone would have that merchandise, it would be Deku. His blankets were All Might merch, he had small trinkets around his desk and nightstand, and some stickers on the mini fridge.

Katsuki scoffed to himself. If he knew one thing about Deku, it's that he wouldn't leave behind All Might merchandise. He walked over to the closet and opened it up. A row of three boxes were nearly bursting with American colors and plastic action figure arms coming from the seams.

He rolled his eyes, but had a smirk on his face. Which was immediately wiped away when he looked up to see a risque red nightgown on one of the hangars. "Ugh! God. Holy shit that's gross."

The last thing he needed was the image of Deku and Ponytail "getting busy" in his brain. He slammed the door and stepped back. He was invading Deku's privacy enough, and he was learning far too much. _'Just do what you came here to fucking do.' _

Katsuki's gaze turned to the desk. The famous hero journals sat at the back of the desk, elevated on a shelf. The teen made his way to the books, picking the first one off of the shelf. As he flipped through the pages of crappy drawings of heroes and crayon written analysises, only one word came to mind to describe it all.

Innocent.

It was all just so innocent. It was an amalgamation of the hopes and dreams of a little kid.

...And he apparently tarnished those hopes and dreams to the point of wanting said little boy to end his life.

The journal suddenly felt like fire. Katsuki dropped the book in an instant, turning away from the desk. That sort of thing had been happening since the fight. Every so often the full weight of the situation would swing back at him. He would once again remember what he did and his stomach would churn and something would expand in his soul.

Katsuki couldn't help but see the irony in how much he would yell the words "Die" at people. It was strange to think that there was someone that was going to take his words seriously. No, strange wasn't the right word. It was…

Haunting.

He steeled himself and turned back around to the desk. Katsuki looked back up to the shelf and saw a burnt and charred book. He pulled it out, and came to a realization. It was the notebook he burnt on the day of the sludge monster.

He had thrown it out the window and told Deku to... Katsuki shook his head to clear his thoughts and opened the book. He flipped through the pages and found nothing too out of the ordinary. There were a few scatter footnotes and reminders that Katsuki found disturbing.

_"Buy more burn cream." _

_"Mom comes home early on Thursday. Leave the window unlocked when you leave tomorrow. Enter via the fire escape so she doesn't see you come in." _

**_"DON'T GO TO THE CORNER STORE AFTER SCHOOL ON FRIDAYS._**_Kacchan and his "friends" go there now." _

And then, Katsuki found another footnote that made him want to throw up.

_"Don't tell Mom to buy more pills. It's too tempting." _

...And then another.

_"The janitors put a lock on the roof access door. Do they know I was up there?" _

_"Nevermind. It was locked off for maintenance purposes. I guess I was lucky. That lock is what stopped me. Although, maybe lucky is a bad choice of words." _

...And another.

_"Why does everyone hate me?" _

...And another.

**_"All Might."_**

An autograph. A fucking autograph from All Might. With the page it was on and when Izuku had that journal, it would have been before they entered. "Those lying motherfuckers. I knew Deku and All Might had something going on."

He slammed it shut, and moved on to another book. The notes were more than enough justification that Deku wasn't lying, but Katsuki still wasn't satisfied. He wanted full blown, blatant, crystal clear writing of Izuku's want to end it.

The week had been pure torture. He could hardly sleep, he wasn't hungry, he completely zoned out most days. He wanted to be absolutely sure that Deku hadn't made the previous week utter shit for nothing.

He just needed to know where to look.

_"This was my perspective for nearly 3 years! This is what I had to look at for years of my life!" _

The words Izuku had spoken to him as he forced him to look down at the ground from the roof. "3 years, huh?"

If Izuku was on #13 at the beginning of the last year of middle school, and he went through one to two journals a year, then possibly numbers 9 or 10 would yield answers.

He pulled number 9 off of the shelf and flipped through it. All it contained was more hero notes and footnotes. Katsuki went back up to grab number 10, but his hand felt nothing but air. He shot his gaze to the rows of books to find nothing.

"Hm? Where's the tenth one? That nerd wouldn't ge-...Deku wouldn-...Mi-...Mi-...Mmmmi-!" Katsuki slapped himself hard. "Midoriya wouldn't get rid of them." The blonde shuddered at the use of Izuku's name. He couldn't remember the last time he had used it. It had to have been at least 12 years. Even when they were on better terms as children, he had called him Izuku.

But, Katsuki felt he didn't even have the right to say his first name anymore.

If the journal wasn't there, then where would it…

"Ponytail," Katsuki grumbled. It was already bad enough that he had to infiltrate into Izuku's room, but Momo's? "God Fucking Damn it."

Katsuki put the books back where they were before and walked out of the room, making his way over to the girls side of the second floor. Or, more like "Girl" since Yaoyorozu was the only one on that floor.

He turned the knob on Momo's door, and walked in to see the most prim, proper, and expensive dorm room he had ever seen. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

If he didn't know that Izuku was so "obnoxiously" pure, he would've assumed he got with Momo for her money.

...Or her breasts.

Katsuki looked around the room until he was met with Momo's desk and bookshelf. He made his way over and spotted his target on the desk. Hero Journal #10. He picked it up and began scouring through the pages. Just as he was about to think there was nothing of worth in the book, he noticed something.

The last page was torn out. Izuku pulling out a page of hero notes from his precious journals? Not likely. There were indents from writing on the inside of the paperback cover. It was almost like someone was angry and pressing down really hard on the paper when writing.

He pulled out a pencil from Momo's drawer and began lightly sketching over the indents. He had learned about that technique from the crime scene investigation chapter in their Heroics Class. The words from the missing paper began to appear.

_I'm sorry. _

_I don't really know what else to say. I don't even know who would read this besides Mom. No one else would care. I'm not even sure I do. But, I guess I should just do it anyway. _

_Mom. I'm so sorry. I've caused you so much trouble over the years for. And now more than ever if you're reading this letter. I know this must be sudden for you. I know you'll be sad. At least I hope you will be. I'm sorry that I made Dad leave, and for making people point at you for having the quirkless kid. _

_I don't know what went wrong when I was born. I wish I could go back and change it. I would even give myself a useless quirk. It would've saved you so much hurt and struggle. You deserve a better child. You were right not to believe in me. I guess I was just too deluded to accept it. The pressure you must've had back then is unimaginable. But you were right. _

_You did your best. You were a great mom that did everything she could. I owe everything good about me to you. But I strayed away from you. It's my own fault this happened. Don't take any blame. I'm begging you. If I still tried to be a hero, I would've gotten myself killed. But I guess I end up dead either way. _

_You can sell all of my All Might stuff. I made you waste so much money on those. _

_Move on. For me, please. Don't get hung up on me. I'm not worth the time. Find someone to love now that I'm not holding you down. Have another child. One better than me. Forget about me. I love you Mom. _

_Kacchan. I'm sorry for getting in your way. I guess you were right. I know you'll become a great hero. I'd say don't worry about me. I would go on a whole speech to you. Maybe even give you an entirely separate letter. But I'm sure you'll just walk over my body on the pavement. I doubt you'd ever read this anyway. So I'll just say this. Thank you for the time when we were friends. _

_And for the rest of it… _

_Go fuck yourself. _

_ I'm sorry, _

_ Deku _

Well...If Katsuki wanted proof, he got it.

Katsuki stumbled backwards and sat back on the bed. His eyes never left the words written on the notebook. It was real. It was all real. He looked at it with his own eyes.

If Deku had actually written a letter, then he was far closer to ending it than Katsuki had originally thought. And those final words.

_Go fuck yourself. _

Those words that were so out of character for Midoriya. A kid that Katsuki had known his entire life. The kid that he used to play Heroes and Villains with.

His last words in the living world to him, were "Go fuck yourself".

He had broken him far more than he thought.

And for some reason, those words hurt far more than Katsuki would ever expect them to.

Everything had started to become suffocating to Katsuki. Holding the journal was making his stomach churn and his heart clench. His eyes burned. He quickly erased the pencil marks and put the journal back.

Katsuki steeled himself and grit his teeth. No. No it wasn't all his fault. There were others. And Deku was just weak.

_'Or he was strong for years, but finally reached a breaking point.' _

"Fuck!" Katsuki threw a spark filled hand at the bookshelf, but stopped himself quickly. He couldn't touch anything in there. He began turning away from shelf, but stopped as his eyes caught something. In one of the books, a blue paper rectangle stuck out of the top.

_"Thank you for shopping at Yubi's Book Emporium. Take this free bookmark, bring it back to the store again at your next purchase, and get a 10% off discount from your next book. One time only." _

Yubi. He had heard that name before. But where?

_"...Yubi. A boy named Naides Yubi recognized Izuku in a bookstore we were at. He talked about Izuku not having a quirk and he acted almost afraid of him. He was even trying to apologize." _

Katsuki's eyes widened at the revelation. Momo had mentioned Yubi in the nurse's office after their final. _'Fingers. That extra was always around me. And he tried to apologize too.' _

The blonde fled out of the room and made his way downstairs. He grabbed his jacket off of the rack and made his way to the front door where Momo and Ejirou were still awaiting Tamaki. "Ponytail! I need to ask you something."

"Perhaps I'll consider it if you use my real name."

"I don't remember it, and I don't care enough to try. Where was the bookstore you and Deku went to?"

"It seems you didn't hear me. What I said was-"

"Forget it!" He shoved his way past the two and made his way out the front door. "I'll find it myself!" As Katsuki stomped his way to the front gates, Kirishima shot out of the dorms and chased after Katsuki.

"Bakugou! Wait up!"

"What do you want Stupid Hair!?" He screamed, not stopping to turn around.

"Where are you going!? You can't leave without permission anyway!"

"I don't give a shit! And it's none of your fucking business. Now leave me alone."

"Come on! Bakugou! Just stop!" He grabbed the blonde's shoulder and turned him around to face him. "What's the matter with you!? Scratch that. What's _been _the matter with you? Whatever happened between you and Midoriya is destroying you!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Ejirou looked him over in disbelief, "Do you not see it? You look like you haven't slept in days. You haven't eaten lunch with us either. You don't talk to us anymore. Hell, you don't even insult us anymore. I wanna help you."

Katsuki grit his teeth and went almost nose to nose with Kirishima. "I. Don't. Need. Or. Want. Your. Fucking. Help." The blonde swished around and blasted himself over the front gate, making his way to the train station. He turned on his phone's GPS, and typed in "Yubi's Book Emporium".

…

**(Present Time)**

"I need to talk to you."

Yubi scoffed. "_ You _want to talk to _me? _I didn't think you would even remember a worthless extra like me," Yubi said with a sarcastic tone.

"Stop being so fucking annoying and talk to me."

"I don't take orders from you anymore. I have the authority to kick you out of here so I would start acting nicer if I were you. Honestly I might just kick you out anyway."

Katsuki growled and stepped further into the store. "Who the fuck pissed in your food? So you suddenly hate me or something?"

"Hmmm…?" Yubi put a finger to his chin in false contemplation. "Yep." Yubi turned around and began walking to the back of the store.

"Look it's…" Katsuki took all of his willpower to say his next phrase. "I need your he-...I need you helelelel...I need your heEEEeee-"

"You need my help?"

"That, yes."

"What exactly would you of all people on this damn planet need my help with?"

"It's about De-...Midoriya."

Yubi faltered at the use of Izuku's real name. "Wh-...What?"

"I'm not saying it again!"

"You used Midoriya. You, the creator of the name Deku, used his real name." Yubi's look of anger disappeared and turned into one of disbelief. "Holy shit. You must've really fucked up this time."

Katsuki looked down at the ground, "Just about."

Naides sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He walked to the front counter and pulled a tall stool out from behind it, placing it in front of the check out. He walked behind the counter and sat in another stool for himself. "Take a seat."

Katsuki complied, and sat across from Yubi. "So, what happened?"

"I can't say."

"Are you kidding m-"

"Not fully!" Katsuki interrupted. "I can't say everything. I just need some answers from you."

"You needing someone else's answers? That's rich."

"Should I come back when you're done being a dick? Or is that just not happening? Because two assholes in one room is just aggravating."

Naides raised a brow, "Did you just refer to yourself as an asshole? Are...you finally self aware?"

"Shut the fuck up and listen. About a week ago, De-...Gggrrrrrhhh! Midoriya. We got into a fight."

"Like, an argument? Or beating the crap out of each other?"

Katsuki scoffed and looked away, crossing his arms. "I'd say both, but it was more like he beat the crap out of me."

"Woah, seriously!? Midoriya actually did that? Well, I guess after he broke you hands anything's possible."

"That's just the thing. I pissed him off back then. This time I made him fucking snap. And...he said some things to me."

"About how we made his life a living Hell?" Katsuki's silence was his only answer. "So you finally figured it out. And here I was thinking I was the only one who had opened his eyes. It's just like I told Kubi at the restaurant."

"Who?"

"He was another one of your pions you never remember. I told him about Midoriya having a smoking hot girlfriend, and he not only didn't believe me, but he kept making fun of him. I told him to grow up and realize what monsters we were. And, out of everyone I would have never expected the next person to realize would be you. In fact, I thought you would be the last, if ever."

"I want to know. Why is what we did that wrong?"

"... Excuse me?"

"That came out wrong. That's not what I meant."

"Are you telling me that you don't realize why what we did, _everything we did, _was wrong? Are you that fucking sick in the head!?"

Katsuki slammed his fist onto the counter, "Of course I know it was wrong! I want to know why no one ever reprimanded us! I want to know why no one, not a single person stood up for Deku! No one cared! No one ever tried to be his friend! All of you idiots and extras looked up to me! If it was all so wrong, why did he not get any help!?"

Naides looked at him and rage filled disbelief. "Are...Holy hell dude. You...What do you think? We followed you because you were considered cool. You had a great quirk. You were going to be a hero. You were so confident and strong. Quirks were everything back then. The teachers blew so much smoke up your ass that no one could see anyone else. And when you turned on Midoriya, and he didn't have a quirk, we followed like sheep. And those who didn't were fucking terrified of you. They all knew what we did to Midoriya. They knew that if they reached out to him, they would be treated the same way. Either that, or they were assholes too. Sadly, the latter seemed to be the case more often than not. And here's the thing. You keep calling people "extras". When are you going to realize that other people matter too? We're people. And so is Midoriya."

"So it still leads back to me. It can't be all my fault."

"Yeah it does. But you weren't completely at fault. Hell no. We're just as much to blame for a lot of it. But, you were the one that took it too far most of the time. You can't blind yourself to how terrible you were."

"...How did we not see it?"

"I don't know. Our frontal lobes weren't, and still aren't fully formed yet. Decision making and morals weren't exactly our strong suit. It's no excuse, but...I don't know. I go everyday thinking about that stuff. Maybe we just refused to believe we were bad people. I'm going to go everyday trying to make up for what I did."

Refusing to think he was a bad person? That sounded like half of Katsuki's entire life. Self awareness wasn't something he was particularly good at.

Yubi shook his head, "And we didn't have good role models to tell us it was wrong." He clenched his fists, "Fuck those teachers. I'm glad they're all getting fired and thrown out on their asses."

"Hm? What are you talking about?"

"...You didn't hear?"

...

Aldera Junior High.

What a joke.

Katsuki walked through the front door and was sent back to the past. It had hardly changed since the last time he was there. Although, that looked like it wouldn't be the case for long.

There were signs everywhere with the words _"Soon to be renovated and owned by the newly instituted Yaoyorozu Education and Care Foundation: A branch of The Yaoyorozu Corporation." _

Katsuki couldn't believe it. _'Ponytail really must like him if she's willing to do all this.' _

"Bakugou?" Katsuki turned his head to see his old homeroom teacher down walking towards him. He was carrying a cardboard box full of desk trinkets and a nameplate. "What are you doing here? Visiting your old stomping grounds?"

"I guess you could say that, uh…" He really needed to get better with names. "...Teach."

"Ah, well I guess I can't blame you. You want to remember your times here before it's all changed."

"I'm assuming one of those changes is you got canned."

The teacher gave a dry chuckle, "Yeah. I'm outta here. Those rich folks and that little green haired woman march right in, slapped a bunch of signs everywhere, and gave nearly every single member of the staff a pink slip. They want a complete overhaul of the school. But, I can't say we don't deserve it."

"Huh?"

"That woman was Midoriya's mother. We got calls and demands from her for years to do something about bullying in this school. But we didn't do jack shit. Pardon my language, but I'm not a teacher anymore, so it doesn't really matter." He shook his head and turned to look down the hallway. Katsuki followed his vision to see Izuku's old locker down the hall. "I still can't believe that kid somehow got a quirk. A damn powerful one at that. We're all just lucky he didn't snap. He was a smart kid, and with a quirk like that he would've made a terrifying villain."

"He's not!" Katsuki said with a growl.

"Woah! Jeez I know. I was just saying if he was it would be scary. I'm sure we would all be on his hit list. When did you start to care anyway? You clearly didn't like him."

"A few years later than when you should've cared. Now beat it. Go find some other kids to ignore." Katsuki walked passed the teacher, deciding that it wasn't worth his time anymore. That bastard could go to hell.

...Was that hypocritical?

Yeah, probably.

The blonde walked to Izuku's old locker. It wasn't hard to figure out which one it was. In a sea of clean red lockers, only one was covered in graffiti and messages. It seemed like they hadn't given anyone Izuku's locker since he left.

Or even bothered to clean it.

At that point, you could hardly see the original paint on the locker. It was mostly black scribble with specks of red underneath. With how much people would write on it, most of the messages weren't readable. From the very little Katsuki could make out, it was things such as "Quirkless freak", "No one wants you here or anywhere", "Deku", etc.

The usual.

Although, there was one message Katsuki knew was still untouched and not covered by any other messages. He used his old trick he used to do to open Izuku's locker. He and other kids would put stupid crap in his locker to fuck with him.

He had been such a fucking child.

He jiggled the handle and punched edges. The door opened and Katsuki was met with large writing, scratched into the metal on the back wall of the locker.

_Deku _

_/Dekū/ _

_noun _

_Quirkless trash that has somehow taken the form of a human being._

_Synonyms: Worthless, Garbage, Useless, etc. _

_Antonyms: Useful, Valuable, etc. _

_Taken from the Katsuki Bakugou Dictionary. _

Katsuki's eyes closed and his teeth ground together. He remembered carving it in with an Exacto Knife from art class. He remembered watching from around the corner to gauge Izuku's reaction when he saw it. He remembered...the sadness...the hurt…

The acceptance.

"RRRAAAH!" Slammed his open palm into the back wall of the locker, and poured all of his energy into small, but scorching hot explosions. Small dents ands and scorch marks covered the writing. The metal began to slightly melt and bubble. Smoke poured out from the locker, filling the hall.

"Ah!" The liquified metal touched his skin, causing Katsuki to jump back. Realizing what he had done, he bolted from the scene before anyone could check out the situation. As he began his sprint towards the exit, a door down the hall opened up. Katsuki took a sharp turn and ran to the side and up the stairs. With every floor he spotted more and more people exiting their rooms to investigate the sounds from the first floor. He kept running up the stairs until he hit a door.

After bursting through it and slamming it behind him, he realized where he was.

The roof.

The wind brushed against his face as he stood tall above the rest of the world. He hesitantly took his first step towards the edge. This place was essentially Izuku's place to get away from it all.

And not in a good way.

Katsuki made it to the edge and looked down at the ground. The school wasn't super tall. It was three stories, which compared to the buildings of the city it was surrounded by, it was little. It wasn't enough to kill someone instantly unless they went head first.

And now the image of Izuku landing head first on the pavement was in his head.

He grimaced and sat down with his legs dangling over the edge. What was he supposed to do? Katsuki thought that his little outing was going to give him answers. He thought it would give him a solution on how he was supposed to apologize. But, the more he learned and remembered, the more it looked like there was no way to be forgiven for his actions.

He destroyed a life.

He had stomped on dreams and smeared them across the ground.

He had almost wiped it from existence entirely.

He was supposed to be all about being a hero. It was what he wanted more than anything. But he had tortured a kid for years just to satisfy his ego. And...he had liked it. It made him feel good. Better about himself even. To him, heroes were the best of the best. They were the greatest. And they were strong. Strength was everything to Katsuki. And he had preyed on the weak just to make him feel strong.

He was no hero.

But, that was all he knew.

So if he wasn't a hero...who was he?

Was that how Izuku used to feel all the time? Just pain on the inside that you couldn't get rid of? As the day went on, everything just built up. Katsuki could feel his limits breaking.

*_ Bzzt* _

Katsuki pulled out his phone tiredly. He looked down to see a text from Kirishima.

Kirishima: _Hey. I'm about to enter my hero agency. Hope you're alright man. Just remember you have people who care about you. That's all I'll say so I can avoid a punch in the face when I get back. _

A dry chuckle left Katsuki's lips as he finished the text. "Fucking Stupid Hair." He put his phone away and looked back out to the city. "...People who care about me, huh?"

No. No, he couldn't. If he talked to them, he didn't know what he would do. Talking to people who knew or could relate was different. But them...

…

_*Knock _* * _Knock* _

The door opened, and the person from inside the house saw their visitor.

"Katsuki?"

"...Hey Old Hag."

"Wh-...What the hell are you doing here? Did your teachers say you could be here?"

"...Can I talk to you?"

Mitsuki stood in shock for a few more seconds before moving out of the way for Katsuki to enter. It was getting late, and she was in her robe getting herself ready for bed. The last thing she expected was to see Katsuki at her door. Her son walked through the door and took his shoes off. He looked around and turned back to her as she closed the door. "Where's the old man?"

"He had to work late tonight. Now no stalling. What are you doing here?" She watched as Katsuki squirmed around where he stood. His eyes were shifting around and...Wait. Katsuki, her brash and unabashed son, was squirming. "Katsuki?" He began walking around and looking at the pictures on the wall. Pictures of their family over the years scattered across the room. He stopped at the side table next to the couch and picked up a picture of himself as a little kid getting his very first All Might toy for his birthday. "Katsuki that's enough! What are you fucking doing here!?

"...Mom?" Katsuki's voice came in quietly. Mitsuki's eyes widened as she was taken aback by that word. "...I did something bad. I-...I did a lot of bad stuff. I hurt someone really bad, for a really long time." Katsuki knew he shouldn't have gone there. He held in a lot, and while they certainly didn't act like a normal family, Mitsuki was still his mom. If anyone could break down his walls just by being in the same room as him, it was her. No matter how they acted, she loved him. And that knowledge was enough for Katuski's emotional dam to burst.

And it would destroy everything.

She would hear everything, and she wouldn't want to speak to him anymore. Her and his dad would likely disown him. Or they would-

"It's alright." A pair of arms wrapped around him, and a hand began stroking through his hair. Not a smack to reprimand his rude actions towards other people, or a pinch to stop him from cursing in public. But a hug, A warm, loving hug. A hug that he had rejected from her for years. A hug from a mother to her son. A hug like Izuku likely received from his mother. A hug that he would've taken away from Inko and Izuku for the rest of their lives.

A hug he didn't deserve.

A hug he needed.

Katsuki turned around quickly and hugged her back tightly. And he would never admit it out loud to anyone else, and she wouldn't tell anyone if he didn't want her to, but Mitsuki felt hot tears hit her shoulder and spread across the cloth of her robe. The two sat in silence. The only sounds being the occasional sniff coming from the younger blonde. Mitsuki rubbed her son's back as he slowly calmed down.

When he came in, she could see bruising and scratches all over his hand. Hitting things was always Katsuki's way of letting out his extreme emotions. It seemed that no matter how hard he hit or destroyed things, it couldn't satisfy or distract him enough to relieve his pain. She took her son's hand and took him to the couch.

"What happened Katsuki?"

"...Midoriya."

"I know. You fought him. We already talked about this."

"Yeah but...It's what I did to make him snap. That's the problem."

Mitsuki pursed her lips and looked down at her lap. She knew he and Midoriya hadn't gotten along since they were very little. Their disconnect had grown so strong that Mitsuki and Inko had grown apart. And Inko was also very busy working a job and trying to take care of a quirkless child in this society. So Mitsuki understood the other mother's lack of time to really be with friends. But, she had barely heard anything about little Izuku until she saw him at the Sports Festival with a miraculous sudden quirk.

But, Izuku was always in Katsuki's class.

And now that lack of mention of Izuku from absolutely anyone was beginning to scare her.

"What did you do to him?" She didn't ask in an accusatory tone. She knew Katsuki didn't need that at the moment. She asked softly, ready for any answer.

"...I bullied him. A lot."

Mitsuki looked back up at him. "...How badly? Teasing?"

He nodded.

"Mocking?"

He nodded.

"...Beating?"

He nodded.

"...How long?"

"Do you remember the day I said I wasn't friends with him anymore?"

"Katsuki...That was 12 years ago."

A couple more tears went down his face. "I know."

"...Why?"

Katsuku shook his head, looked back up at her, and said through gritted teeth, "I don't fucking know." He leaned back into the couch and gripped at his hair. "I don't know what's fucking wrong with me. I liked it. I fucking liked hurting him. I turned everyone against him. I isolated him. He didn't have any friends and I kept it that way. I hurt him and hurt him and hurt him. Over and over and over again. Day in and day out, month after month, year after year. I made him fucking throw up his lunch and burned him for it when it got on my shoes. I berated him and called him nothing and trash and shit. I-...I-...I told him to fucking kill himself!" The tears that had subsided from earlier came back with a vengeance. He slouched over and put his head between his knees. "And the worst part...He fucking almost did it. He almost did it time and time again. I made him want to kill himself. I _drained him _of life. And it all made me feel good about myself. I thought I wasn't doing anything fucking wrong. I-...I-...I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"Katsuki-"

"I tried to fight him because I was angry at him. I complained to him about how I hated how everything at school was going. I was so fucking blind. He had to tell me. He had to shove it into my fucking face, just to get me to realize what I had done. And I can't apologize. I don't know how. I tried, and he threw it back into my fucking face. And I deserve it! I can't sleep. I can't fucking eat. It's torture!"

"Katsuki I-"

"It keeps playing on fucking loop in my head. I keep hearing my words to him. Take a swan dive off the roof of the building. And then I see his body smack against concrete like a hunk of damn meat. His body never bleeds, but my hands do! He even wrote a suicide note. And his last words to me, were 'Go fuck yourself'. How fucking fitting is that? I make him want to end it, and his last words to me are telling me to go fuck myself. The nicest kid in the fucking country, tells me that. I'm so fucked up. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. I don't know wha-"

"Katsuki!" She grabbed the back of his collar and yanked him to sit up straight. His tear filled eyes met his mother's tear filled eyes. Mitsuki was at just as much of a crossroads as her son. How does a parent react to that? How would anyone react to realizing their son tormented another child for years? Especially when they show up at your door having a mental breakdown due to the guilt consuming them. Katsuki's reveal was so sudden.

Katsuki was already destroying himself with guilt. If she further reprimanded him into the ground, she might've never seen him ever come back from where he was. And it seemed Izuku had already beat him up enough. She could only do what Katsuki really needed.

"I forgive you."

"...What?"

She cupped both sides of his face and looked him in the eye. "I fucking forgive you Brat."

"Wh-...Why? Why the fuck would you forgive me?"

"Because I can see how much this is tearing you apart. And I know I've failed as a mother in a lot of places, especially when trying to teach you right and wrong. I forgive you for not telling me. But I don't forgive you for your actions. I can't do that, and Izuku can't do that. We can't do that until you've forgiven yourself."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Mitsuki couldn't help but inwardly chuckle a bit at Katsuki's vulgar phrasing even in situations like that one. He had a worse mouth than she did. "It means you have to prove to yourself that you're willing to change and move on. You have to be willing to take that guilt and remorse, and turn it into something better. You have to fully comprehend and understand what you did. You have to forgive yourself first, or you'll never be able to move on. And if you can't move on, then Izuku can't either. You have to show him you give a shit. If you're so sorry, then fucking prove it to yourself first."

Katsuki shook his head, "I don't think I can."

"And that's okay. In time, you'll forgive yourself. Just don't fucking dawdle around. You want to be a hero, right?" The question was rhetorical, but Katsuki responded anyway.

"How can I call myself a hero after everything I did?"

"Maybe you couldn't call the old Katsuki a hero. But, the Katsuki that grows from this can be. As long as you can move past this, and find a way to make amends. And if Izuku wants nothing to do with you, then you need to accept that. You know what you did, you would understand. You have the brain and brawn to be a hero." She pressed a finger to his chest. "You just need the heart. Without it, you won't be going anywhere. You're Katsuki Fucking Bakugou. You don't wallow in anything. You take life by the fucking reins, bitch slap it, and tell it how things are going to go down. I'm now just realizing how my lessons to you probably didn't help you develop proper morals."

Katsuki let out a small chuckle. "No. You taught me to be confident and not to take things lying down. I took that way too far."

"Oh, so you're the self blaming type now?" She said with a sarcastic tone in her voice.

"Fuck off Old Hag."

"Fuck you Brat."

While both phrases were common to them and vulgar, but neither had any real malice behind them. At that point, those phrases were ironically affectionate in some weird twisted way. She wiped his eyes with her thumbs.

"I know you tend to be a loner with a lot of things. But you have to remember that people love you. Izuku sure cared a lot about you when you were kids. You can't take the people who care about you for granted, or you'll lose them all. But you won't lose me. Or your father, who you will be telling this all to tomorrow morning." Katsuki grumbled, but knew he wouldn't get out of it. She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "You're also going to your guidance counselor for therapy." He just grunted again. "I love you Katsuki."

"Grrgh."

"What was that?"

"I lergh ya t-..."

"I don't think I heard that."

"..."

"Say you fucking love me!"

"Alright! I love you! Happy!?"

"Extremely. Now go to bed. I'll call your school and tell them where you are."

"Their going to bitch at me when I get back."

Mitsuki stood up and laughed, "Not if I have anything to say about it. You really think Eraserhead can beat me in a screaming match. They'll not say a word if they know what's good for 'em. I'm a mother. They have no power over me." She walked towards the kitchen to the phone. Katsuki looked down at his lap again, contemplating everything.

"...Don't take the people who care about me for granted." He pulled out his phone, and pulled up Kirishima's number.

Bakugou: _I'm alright. Or I will be. Sorry about earlier. Thank you Kirishima...Stupid Hair. _

He couldn't forgive himself yet. But...maybe someday. Katsuki had a lot to say to Izuku.

But he had to say it to himself first.


	51. Ghosts Can Cry Too

"What do you mean we're doing nothing!?"

"We can't act now. We need to regroup and make a plan."

Izuku stood in a stupor at Nighteye's words as rain began to pour down upon the city. "But, he has a little girl! And he-mmph!" Sir's hand slapped over Izuku's mouth, and the former sidekick leaned in closely.

"You seem to have forgotten that we're out in public." Nighteye motioned to the citizens walking around. He leaned closer and whispered to Izuku, "There are too many unknowns still, and we can't face Chisaki on our own. Trust me when I tell you that if you fought him, you would lose. No, not just lose. You would be killed, immediately. Do you understand? You're lucky Togata was there to keep the situation under control, or else you likely wouldn't be here right now with that arrogance of yours."

"Arrogance!?"

"Yes, arrogance. You might've taken down a few villains, you might be strong, whatever. You can't beat him. Not alone."

Izuku was beginning to grow angrier. His newfound temper was being pushed on by the cold sidekick. "I _wasn't _alone. That little girl was scared, hurt in every shape and form, and you would really just do nothing if you were there?"

"Yes. Tell me, how exactly would it look if you attacked a man with zero evidence of criminal activity. You would have attacked him based on a hunch, making you the bad guy. And what if you just took her and ran? So you're a kidnapper now?"

"But he-"

"Whether or not he is hurting her, you can't just take someone's child no matter who they are. All Might has told me about all of your past confrontations with villains. You might've gotten off scot free before, but there are still consequences."

Izuku's face came together into one of pure anger. Nighteye was seriously beginning to piss him off. He had already been angry when they first met, but that drew the line. "Just because-!"

"We understand Sir." Mirio gripped Izuku's shoulder, stopping him from talking any further. "We'll await your orders." Izuku looked up at Mirio and saw his face holding a bright smile but...his eyes were sad.

Nighteye nodded and turned around. "Let's head back. I have a lot of calls to make. And Midoriya…" Mirai sighed and looked back to Izuku. "That tracker...You saved us a lot of time. We'll know her exact location as soon as tomorrow if your girlfriend comes through. I know it's hard to leave someone behind. All Might never leaves anyone behind. But we need help. And thanks to you, that little girl will be out of harm's way in no time. We'll save her much sooner because of you. Be proud of that." He turned away and started walking. "You're quick on your feet, like a hero should be."

Izuku's temper was calmed by Nighteye's words. He was right. Damn it, he was right. Of course they couldn't just fight someone on the street with zero evidence. And just taking a kid and running? It was an arrest for sure. He should have known that. He did know that. His anger had blinded him, wanting nothing but more confrontation. Izuku shook his head and looked down, "Th-Thank you."

"But your attitude needs severe work." Mirai flipped up an umbrella as he and Bubble Girl began their walk back to the agency. "Now let's go."

And Izuku's temper was right back. Of course Nighteye just couldn't leave his compliment to Izuku like that. He had to turn it around to an insult. Izuku clenched his fists, but his shoulder was once again squeezed by Mirio. The elder looking down at him apologetically with a look that said, "_Sorry, but it would be for the best if you just stayed quiet for now."_

Izuku sighed in acceptance and began walking.

…

The green haired teen paced around his guestroom, trying to blow off steam. Every time he thought his anger had subsided, it came back with a vengeance. Izuku had spent 11 years of his life growing a tolerance for unlikable people. He had spent so long hiding his pain, sadness, and anger from the world that it had become natural. It was the only way he knew how to live. But after Katsuki broke the mask he kept over his emotions, everything just poured out of him and he had no control of it.

And it seemed that anger was the dominant emotion of the hidden ones.

Maybe he just wanted to finally be heard. Or maybe he was sick of being walked on and wanted his own way for once. He didn't know. But, Izuku also didn't like it. Being angry and stressed never suited him. At least in his eyes. Being angry always felt like he was being like Katsuki. There were a lot of things about Katsuki that Izuku admired and wanted to have form himself.

But, his anger issues wasn't one of them.

His anger wasn't the only thing in question. The other thing that was beginning to bother him was Nana. He hadn't seen her since before the patrol. It had been hours. The sun was fully set and the moon was high in the sky, but there was still no sight of her. Izuku thought that after something as important as meeting Chisaki and Eri that Nana would have something to say about it. But lo and behold, she was nowhere to be found.

_*Knock* *Knock*_

"Come in." The door opened, revealing Mirio back in his casual clothes. "Oh, hey Togata."

"Hey Midoriya. Ya mind if I talk with you for a minute?"

"Of course not. Come on in." Mirio smiled and closed the door behind him. He walked further into the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "So what did you want to talk about?" Izuku asked, already suspecting what it would be about.

"Well, it's about earlier...with Chisaki."

"I-I know I was acting rashly. It was just really hard to let her go. Thank you for keeping everything under control."

"Actually, I wanted to talk about how sorry I was that I kept you from taking her."

Izuku did a double take. "What?"

"I...I can't get her running away out of my head." Togata's smile fell. "I know Sir is right, but…"

"You felt like you could've done something," Izuku finished for him.

"...Yeah. I should be the one thanking you. Without your tracker, who knows what could've happened to her in the time it would've taken for us to get warrants and whatnot." Izuku gave a small smile in thanks. "And while he might not express it all that easily, I know Sir is grateful to have you here."

Izuku almost scoffed, but held it back. He really did need to watch where his attitude was going. "Why does he always have to take back every compliment with an insult?"

Mirio rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at his lap. "Sir is...complicated. I don't know exactly what's going on between you, All Might, and Sir. But, I know that you and All Might have a special connection from the time I've spent with you two together. And, Sir and All Might used to have a special connection too. And now that their relationship has been damaged, maybe he feels like he's being replaced. Or maybe he feels like you're "butting in" on their friendship. I don't know. Like I said, Sir is complicated. But he has a good heart, and the fact that you're here proves that he wants to get to know you."

"He doesn't act like he wants to know me" Izuku said, slumping down on the bed next to Togata. "How did you get his approval?" Izuku knew that Nighteye saw Mirio as the perfect candidate for One For All, but he doesn't know how they had met.

"Well, believe it or not, he actually came to meet me personally."

"Really? That never happens."

"I know, right!?" Mirio exclaimed with a smile. "One day he just showed up out of the blue with Principle Nezu. He said he wanted to get to me before any of the other offers caught my attention." Izuku nodded, realizing what had likely happened. Nezu likely shared his information about Mirio with not just All Might, but Nighteye as well. The moment Mirai heard about him, he probably went to U.A right away to make sure he was the perfect fit. "He made me tell him a joke when we first met, and it was the stupidest one I could've thought up. I said, "There are three types of people in the world: Those who can count and those who can't." But, he laughed anyway. Ever since then I've been working under him."

Izuku pursed his lips, "For a guy who values humour so much, he acts pretty humourless."

Mirio sighed and began twiddling his thumbs. "Sir...Sir didn't have the most fun childhood. His family was very cold. Fun and games wasn't really something they approved of. It was all business. But, then All Might debuted, and Sir's entire world was turned upside down." Izuku sat up straight, intently listening to the story that he likely never would've learned from Sir himself. "All Might was a hero of bright colors, humour, charisma, etc. After living his entire life without those things, he was immediately obsessed with the guy as you probably figured out by now" Mirio said, motioning to the All Might memorabilia around the guest room.

Izuku chuckled, "Yeah. I can relate to that though."

"But, by the time All Might came around Sir was conditioned, so to speak. Being outgoing and full of spirit wasn't a part of his coding. He may love humour and bright smiles, but he doesn't really do it himself except in small instances. With his quirk he pushed himself to be a hero, determined to meet All Might. And as you can guess, he managed to get more than just All Might's attention."

Izuku leaned on his hand as he contemplated Nighteye's story. There were a lot of similarities between Izuku's story and Nighteye's. Izuku wondered if that was how he would've turned out if he never met All Might and kept chickening out of pulling the plug on himself. Cold and wanting to fill the void with laughter. "If things with Ms. Joke don't work out for Mr. Aizawa, then we should get him a date with her."

Mirio gave a hearty laugh, "Hahaha! You should've used that one on Nighteye. I'm sure you would've gotten in instantly." The blonde patted Izuku's back and leaned his elbows on his knees. "Look, what I'm getting at is that I hope you don't get too mad at Sir. He may have a cold exterior, but he's got just as much of a kind heart as the best heroes. I understand he can be frustrating. Just try not to let your little temper get out of hand," Mirio teased.

Izuku chuckled, "I'm sorry about that. I don't know what's wrong with me. I didn't have a temper a couple weeks ago. Maybe it's hormones, or maybe I just miss Momo and it's stressing me out."

"I mean...you have the pillow."

"Yes. A pillow that you will never mention to anyone. Ever." Mirio raised his hands up in defense, but giggled at Izuku's embarrassment. Eventually, Izuku began to laugh too, the atmosphere staying lighthearted. Izuku couldn't deny how contagious Mirio's spirit was. He could make a funeral have a happy tone. "I'll try and watch myself with Nighteye. In fact, I'll try to get to know him better."

"That's the spirit!"

"...Nighteye means a lot to you doesn't he?"

Mirio's expression turned into one of slight surprise. "I mean, yeah. I know I've haven't known him super long. Really just barely over a year. But, he's taught me so much. I smile all the time and I know people see me as this upbeat guy. And it gets hard sometimes. He's always the one that shows me that I should keep smiling. He sees so much in me, and he inspires me to see the greatness in others too. Just like scouting out you!" He brought a hand down on Izuku's hair and ruffled it.

Izuku smiled and fixed his hair. "Is he like a father figure to you?"

"Well no one replaces my dad. Trust me. If you think I'm a goofball, then you haven't met by dad. But...family. He's family, that's for sure. Heh, it's weird ya know. To think bonds like that can grow in only a year." Izuku nodded and looked back at the past year of his life. The relationships he had made over the past year had all turned into ones he couldn't imagine life without. All Might was like a father to him. Momo was...well Momo was everything. Uraraka, Iida, Todoroki, Kirishima, Asui, and even Jirou to a growing extent. They had all wedged their way into Izuku's heart, and they wouldn't let go anytime soon. He hoped to see the day where he had that kind of connection with everyone in his class. He also hoped to grow that connection with…

The sound of footsteps to his right caught his attention.

...Nana.

She was outside on the balcony, sitting on the edge gazing up at the moonlight.

"It's definitely crazy."

Mirio nodded, "Well, I'll let you get some sleep Midoriya. Thanks for this talk. I'm happy that you think I did the right thing with Eri. Hopefully I'll sleep easier tonight. And hey…" He raised a fist to Izuku. "Let's save her. No matter what."

Izuku brought his fist up to touch Mirio's. "Definitely." Togata began walking towards the door, but the younger teen stopped him. "Hey Togata?"

The blonde stopped at the door and turned around to look at him, "Yeah?"

"What...Wh-What do you think about not smiling?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I've been thinking lately. Should we really smile all the time? Even when we're sad? I feel like it's not good to just force a smile on yourself whenever you're unhappy. It's like...bottling things up. And, I have some experience in that field." Izuku decided to leave out that 11 years of his life were nothing but fake smiles. "I know it's what All Might is all about, and it's what everyone seems to want. But, d-do you think that maybe people not being afraid because of All Might's smile is analogous for ignoring their problems?"

"I-...I guess I never thought about it like that. I mean, is that really so bad?"

"People should be scared, shouldn't they? We need fear. With everyone so happy go lucky, even with All Might gone, it's like no one is even cautious or careful. Even with the crime rate rising, it's like no one cares. It's like being poisoned and just acting like it's not there, but you're still slowly dying. If you acknowledge it, then you can try to fight it. And...I don't know. All Might has always been my greatest inspiration. But, in the past year I've come to see and appreciate people just as much, if not more than heroes. Just people. And, when All Might smiles like that and we put him up on a pedestal, doesn't it...dehumanize him? Like, we treat him like some kind of great being but...he's just a person like you and me. And isn't that what a hero is? A regular person who makes great sacrifices for their fellow citizens? It shows that everyone can be a hero. Isn't there some kind of...plasticity to it all now?"

Mirio's eyes widened, "Uh, wow. Where did that all come from Midoriya?"

"Sorry, I-I've uh...just had a lot to think about."

Mirio blew a raspberry and crossed his arms, "That's a lot of stuff you're throwing at me. And, I honestly don't have an answer for you. I like smiling. Smiling brings me comfort, and it reminds me that not everything is bad. I smile when I remember my parents, Nejire, Tamaki, Sir. I don't know. Maybe you're right. Just do what you think is best Midoriya. I have no doubt you'll do something amazing with it. Goodnight."

"G'night." Mirio left the room, leaving Izuku alone. Well...not entirely alone. He turned his head to look out the balcony screen door to see Nana still there. He walked out the door and leaned against the balcony. Her smile was still on her face, but it wasn't as bright as it usually was.

"How're doing Izuku?"

Izuku sighed, "Lost and angry, but hopeful."

Nana laughed and turned her head to him. "That's the best any of us can ask for isn't it." She stood up on the ledge, and leaped off."

"NANAAAAAaaaaaa-oh nevermind." Izuku stopped his frightened scream as Nana began slowly floating around in the air.

"...You just forgot I could fly, didn't you?...And that I'm already dead."

"Yes I forgot! You should also know that I don't do well with ledges."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry about that. I'll warn you next time." She began lightly coursing through the air at a lazy speed, her hair and cape flowing in the wind. "I'm also sorry for vanishing for a good while there."

"I was going to ask about that. What happened? Did you see what happened with Chisaki?"

"Yeah, I did. And...that's actually why I disappeared. I had to think about some stuff."

"What stuff?"

"Ah, it's nothing you need to worry about."

Izuku began fiddling with his hands, rubbing his thumbs over his scars. "...Is it about your son?" Nana suddenly stopped her movements, floating in one place. She was looking away from Izuku so he couldn't see his expression. "All Might told me about it back when he told us about his fight with All For One when he got out of the hospital."

Without turning back to him, Nana answered, "...That little girl, Eri. She was so scared and her eyes were full of tears. She begged..._pleaded_ for you not to go. I guess that image brought back some bad memories."

"...What was his name?"

"...Kotaro."

"I could never imagine having to do something like that. I'm sorry. But, All For One was relentless. I understand why you did what you did, as difficult as it was. Who knows what would've happened to him if he stayed."

"Like I said Kid, I can't dwell on these things now that I'm dead and gone."

"You're not dead. Not fully. You're not dead until I'm dead. You live on through me, and that's not even a metaphor or anything. You're literally still living on through me. And I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

Nana chuckled, and turned back to look at Izuku. Her smile was still there, but it seemed slightly sadder. "Izuku, I gave my son away, and now his own son ran away to become a villain. I don't think there's any more to dwell on." Izuku looked down in contemplation, muttering under his breath. Nana floated down to him and snapped in front of his face. "I don't speak mutter. At least not with your girlfriend here to translate."

"S-Sorry. But, have you ever heard about how ghosts stay around in this world because something here is keeping them?"

"...Izuku it's important to me that you realize that I'm not actually a ghost. I'm not a poltergeist."

"No I know that. I'm just trying to make a point. Don't you want closure? Shigaraki might be a villain, but we don't know what happened to Kotaro. He could still be out there."

Nana's eyes widened slightly, but she looked away. "Shigaraki works for All For One. If All For One got to him, then there's an uncomfortably high chance that he got to him because he found Kotaru."

"We don't know that! Maybe Shigaraki ran away!"

"Kid, I don't think it's a good idea."

Izuku stood straight with his shoulders back. "I thought you said we shouldn't ignore our problems. Ignorance isn't always bliss. You'll always think about what happened or where he ended up. Or where he is now."

Nana chewed on her tongue as he squinted at Izuku, a smirk on her face. "Using my own words against me? You're getting too clever. I...I guess it would be relieving to know what happened. Whether he's still alive or...Well, it would be nice finally knowing. I can at least accept it and finally have at least a little peace about it."

"And All Might never said All For One mentioned Kotaro's name or anything. Maybe he kidnapped Shigaraki or found him. You said you wanted to help me. The least I can do is return the favor."

"Alright! Alright, fine. But, tell me Wonderboy. How are we going to find out where he ended up?"

"Well, do you know the foster family he ended up with?"

Nana shook her head, looking down. "I just gave him to an agency. I knew that if I knew the family he was with, I would be far too tempted to go back for him. I didn't tell Toshinori or Torino where. I didn't want them going after him, especially since All For One knew who they were."

Izuku ran back inside, and came back out with his journal and a pencil. "What was the agencies name?"

…

**(Tomorrow Morning)**

"So he really has a little girl in his custody?" Toshinori asked.

Mirai rubbed his chin as he looked out the window, "There are no records of his daughter. But I guess people like them might want to keep things under wraps. Midoriya was all too eager to get her out of there."

Toshinori raised a brow as he sat against the desk, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"No. No, it's not bad. He has a good heart."

"The best."

"But, there's something that's worrying me. He seems to have some...temperamental issues."

"If you're referring to his frustration with you, you don't exactly treat him all that well either."

"But, you said he was a meek, yet bright and pure hearted. I'm sensing far less meek, and far more intensity."

Toshinori sighed, "He's going through a lot right now. Actually, life has thrown everything it has at that kid since he was born. He did his best to not let it get to him, but some recent events have transpired that broke his armor a bit. He's got a lot on his mind, and he's already more stressed than anybody. And like I said, you certainly don't help his situation. He really does want to impress you."

"Yet he seems to not have the most basic component of your formula." Mirai turned around and faced All Might. "His smile. The boy is supposed to replace you, yet he can't seem to unfurrow his brow and lift the corner of his lips."

"He doesn't have to smile all the time."

"No. But, when he puts on his costume he becomes a hero. When he's a hero, he needs to bring peace to the people."

"He'll get there Mirai. He's only a first year and he has far too much to deal with at the moment. He already feel like he's being rushed enough. I wish you would really get to know him better. I assure you that your confidence in him would be just as high as mine."

Nighteye looked down and sighed, "Perhaps you're right."

"Maybe you can talk to him during another patrol. Are you monitoring today?"

Nighteye shook his head and sat down at his desk, facing Toshinori. "No. Fatgum is personally delivering that tracking device to us. He should be here sometime this afternoon. And the rest of the heroes I've called are making their way here. But many of them can't make it until tomorrow. I need to stay here to set up the presentation for tomorrow. With that tracking device, we'll know exactly where that girl is. And then, after a little investigation and getting the warrants, we'll be able to-"

_*Ring* *Ring*_

Nighteye turned to his phone and hit speaker. "Hell-"

"Nighteye!"

"Fatgum?"

"Yeah yeah it's me! There's going to be a problem getting you that tracking device!" Nighteye could hear screaming and bustling from the other end. Fatgum was panting, clearly running as he was talking.

"May I ask why?"

"Okay, here's the thing. Today was supposed to be our day off of patrols. But then you called about the tracker. So we-Ah okay. Hold on!" _*Crack* _Sorry. Another dealer. Okay, we decided to go ahead and do a patrol today, and make the route end at the train station so we can head down to your agency. And we found another drug deal going down. _*Pant*_ Oh God I'm outta shape."

"Focus!"

"Alright! We got them and everything was going fine! But some kid with the group panicked and pulled out a gun! He shot right at Tamaki!"

Nighteye raised his brows in panic, "Is he alright!?"

"He's fine!"

"...Then what's the problem?"

"I said there's going to be a problem with getting you tracker, because Yaoyorozu was the one that got shot!"

Toshinori jumped up and ran out the door to get Izuku. Nighteye stood from his seat with a concerned expression. "Where was she shot!?"

"I-I…I don't know. It all happened so fast, and Kirishima got pissed and is chasing after the guy with the gun. And now I'm going after him before I get another student hurt. Tamaki said he would take care of her, but...I...I think she was shot in the head."

Toshinori suddenly burst back into the room with a note in hand. "He's gone."

Nighteye looked at him shocked, "What do you mean he's gone!?"

"I mean, he's gone!" He showed the note to Nighteye.

_"I decided to spend my day off in the city. I'll be back later!" -Izuku_

"Call him immediately. It's worse than we thought."

"Yeeeeaaah that's another problem," Toshinori said, lifting up Izuku's phone that was accidentally left behind.

…

"Oh crap."

"What is it?" Nana asked as she watched Izuku pat around his pockets. The two sat on the train, awaiting their arrival in the city. The landscape zoomed by them as the sun hid behind the overcast morning sky.

"I plugged in my phone to charge it, but I forgot to grab it when we left. I can't use the foster agency's phone either. All-" Izuku then remembered he was on a public train. "Toshinori doesn't answer unnamed callers. With how secretive he is, he only gives his number to people he absolutely trusts. Any other number just gets sent straight to voicemail. I hope I'm not giving him a heart attack."

"He probably thinks you went off on another vigilante mission to save Eri."

"...Oh no."

She ruffled his hair, "Don't worry about it now. It'll all be fine."

"I hope. Also, h-how are you able to touch me?" Whenever Nana made contact with him, it was...strange. It wasn't like normal touches. Everywhere she touched felt faint and fuzzy.

"You're the only thing it seems I'm able to touch. I'm technically a part of you, so maybe it's like your body just thinking it's being touched. I'm just as lost about the real inner workings of One For All as you.

_"Attention all passengers. We have now arrived at Minashigo City."_

"Well, this is our stop kid. Let's go." Izuku stood with Nana, and they made their way to the exit door. The other passengers were relieved that the boy who spoke to himself the entire train ride left. Izuku exited the train and walked his way down the streets of Minashigo City just 45 minutes away from Nighteye's agency. Nana was his guide throughout the city.

But, she wasn't doing too well.

"Left." Izuku turned. "Left." He turned again. "Left." Izuku turned once more. "Le-"

"Nana, you can't stall by walking us in circles."

"You don't know the patience I have."

"Nana we don't have to do this if you don't want to. I really didn't mean to pressure you."

She sighed and shook her head, "No. No we're here, and you're going through the trouble of doing this for me. Come on. Go down that street." Izuku nodded and began following her real directions. After a ten minute walk, the two stood in front of the foster care building.

_Omoiyari Foster Care Agency_

It was a very pretty looking red brick building with flowers on windowsills and in pots around the front door. Izuku looked to his side to see Nana looking cautiously at the building. "...How old was he?"

"He was ten."

"Ten?"

"Pretty old to put someone in foster care, I know. I don't want to think about that."

"S-Sorry. Did you live in this city?"

"No. I wanted him out of the city, away from All For One. And I was afraid of running into him if he lived in Musutafu. Who knows what would've happened if I saw him?" Nana simply shook her head and began walking to the door. Izuku followed her and entered the building.

The inside was wood paneled with rose floral wallpaper. Pictures of past children from the agency hung on the walls and waiting chairs lined the front room walls. A curved front desk was ahead of them with a young brunette at the computer. Izuku approached the desk as Nana looked around at the pictures of children.

"Excuse me ma'am?"

The woman at the front desk swiveled around in her chair and looked at Izuku. Her eyes widened in shock. "Oh my Go-...Honey, I'm not entirely sure we accept children your age."

"Wha-? No! I-I'm not here to go to a foster home."

"Oh. If you're not here for that, then what are you here fo-...Oh darling, don't kids your age know what a condom is?"

Nana began laughing hysterically behind him.

"I-I don't have a kid! I'm here to ask about someone who was entered here a long time ago."

The woman raised her hands in defense, "I'm sorry. You would just be surprised with how many kids your age come in here. Who are you looking for?"

"A young boy named Kotaru Shimura."

"And how long ago was he entered here?"

"...Over 30 years ago. Probably around 35 to 37 years."

She pursed her lips and looked at him curiously, "...Your dad?"

"I really don't want to be rude ma'am. But, would you please stop trying to pry into my personal life?"

She nodded and turned back to her computer, typing in the name she was given. "Kotaro...Kotaro...Ah, Kotaro. Kotaro Shimura was given off to the Daini Family. He lived in their foster family, leaving early at the age of 18. After that, it's all unknown."

Nana leaned against the counter, "Ask her where the Daini's are."

"Where are the Daini's now?"

"They live downtown in the Satooya Apartment Complex. They're a very nice family. They've been caring for abandoned kids for years. Sadly, Mr. Daini died some years back. His wife and their second daughter run the place now."

"Thank you ma'am!" Izuku turned around to walk away. As he walked passed Nana, without looking, she grabbed onto his head, turned his around, and pushed him back to the desk.

"Ask for directions."

"Oh! Um, d-do you by any chance know how to get there?"

"There should be a bus to that part of town coming up pretty soon. It's how I get home. It'll take you to the Ushinawareta District."

"Thank you." Izuku turned around to walk out again. As he passed by Nana, he realized she wasn't following him and staring at one of the pictures with the past children. Izuku walked up next to her and followed her gaze.

_Omoiyari Foster Group of 2156_

A decent little group of smiling children stood with the employees and caretakers of the children out in front of the building. At the very end of group was one unsmiling child. His dark hair and eyes was a dead giveaway. Izuku whispered to not freak out the secretary. "Is that him?"

"...Yeah...He must've really hated me."

"He didn't understand the situation."

She turned to Izuku, "If your mother gave you away, no matter how dire the situation she was in, would you still love her the same way you do now?"

"...I want to say yes. I feel that the older I got, the more I would understand. But, I can't say I wouldn't be mad or depressed. Especially after Hisashi left. I would just feel more abandoned."

"I left him after his father died. So I'd say his anger was definitely justified."

"_Is _justified. Not was. There's still a chance he's out there."

Nana walked away from the picture and towards the door, "Let's not get our hopes up."

Izuku sighed and followed Nana out the door.

…

_*Knock* *Knock*_

The door of the large apartment opened to reveal a woman around 30 years old with chestnut brown hair and small goat horns coming out of her forehead. Small children were tugging at her dress from behind. She looked down at the green haired teenager standing in the hallway.

"Hello?"

"Good afternoon ma'am. My name is Izuku. I wanted to speak to your mother about a boy who was taken into her custody a little over 30 years ago."

"30 years? Who could you be looking for that was here so long ago?"

"His name was Kotaro Shimura. It's important to me."

"I don't-"

"Let him in, Tsuno." The woman turned around to see an old woman with longer horns on her head, coming out of her grey hair. She walked up behind her daughter and moved in front of her to talk to Izuku. "Kotaro Shimura. That's a name I haven't heard in years. But, you're too young to be a police officer. So I'm assuming you aren't here to reopen the case."

He could see Nana tense up next to him. He raised an eyebrow at the woman. "Uh...case?"

She nodded her head over her shoulder. "Oh...I see. Come in. I'll explain." She motioned for Izuku to follow her, and the two walked inside the door and into the apartment. The apartment looked like it used to be a nice, upper middle class apartment, but it was covered in children's toys ranging from overly boyish to overly girlish, drawings, paint stains, movie holodisks, and it smelled like baby powder. Children were all over the place in different areas doing different activities. Izuku counted at least 8 kids, and that was only from the ones he could see.

Izuku really wanted to see Katsuki in a house like this.

"Luckily for you, I just made tea. Izuku, was it?"

"Izuku Midoriya, yes?"

"Well Midoriya, I'm Hitsuji." She pour two cups and handed one to Izuku. "Are you a distant relative of Kotaro's?"

"Uh…" Izuku turned to see Nana crouched down and smiling as she watched the children draw and play in front of her. "...Something like that."

"Come out to the balcony. The kids aren't old enough for some of this." Izuku looked to Nana again and caught her eyes. He motioned to the balcony door, and she followed along with him. He closed the screen door behind him and sat down at one of the metal chairs. A light sprinkling began to fall. The rain drops sliding off and falling from the balcony above theirs. "So what can you tell me about Kotaro?"

"Well, first I want to know why exactly you're looking for him?"

Izuku figured that question would come up, and he knew he was a terrible liar. So he did his best to not exactly lie. "I'm a part of his birth mother's family. But, she died a long time ago. I've been looking into her past, and I found out about Kotaro. I wanted to find out what happened to him after she gave him up."

She nodded and took a sip of her tea. "Kotaro...was a quiet boy. He never got over what happened. His resentment towards his mother grew more over time. I'm assuming his mother was a hero. You couldn't talk about heroes without Kotaro becoming angry and stomping off. We did the best we could to help and calm him down, try to ease his mind and accept what happened. But, he never listened." Izuku watched as Nana walked past his seat and leaned her arms on the railing, facing away from Izuku. Once again, he couldn't see her face.

Hitsuji continued, "He pushed himself hard academically so he could get a good job and move out of the house. Which he succeeded at. He even got married to a gorgeous woman named Nao, and had two beautiful children. He may have not wanted to be here, but he took somewhat of a liking to us. He kept us informed on his life, even if in small batches. Kotaro was sadly still a cold man. He had a heart, but he buried it deep down. His exterior expressed a man who cared for little. While he may have sent messages at rare times, he never came back to visit. And, while I doubt he ever would've, he never got the chance."

Izuku sighed, "You use his name in past tense. So, I'm assuming…"

Hitsuji pulled out a small handkerchief and dabbed her eyes, "Yes. He's dead."

Izuku shifted his eyes to look at Nana. She hadn't moved an inch from the last time he looked at her. The only difference was that her hands were slightly shaking. "...I'm so sorry."

Hitsuji believed that Izuku was talking to her, and nodded her head. "Thank you, but that's not all...His entire family is dead."

"Wh-...Wh-What?"

"All of them. No one knows what happened. One day everything was fine. And the next, the entire house was destroyed with nothing but rubble and blood." She dabbed away more tears as she continued. "All of them. Kotaro, Nao, and even little Hana and Tenko. All gone. The police had no idea who did it, and they never found anyone. The detective on the case couldn't fine anything. The case was closed."

Izuku chewed on his tongue as he contemplated over it all. Izuku had hoped so badly that they could find something good. But, what they had found was even worse than he had thought.

The Shimura Family was a tragedy.

"Thank you for telling me all of this. I-...I'm very sorry for your loss. I'll get out of your hai-"

"The detective." Izuku stopped at Nana's sudden words. She was still looking away from him, and her voice was quiet. "Ask about the detective."

"...Actually, if you wouldn't mind. Who was the detective that investigated the case?"

"Detective Tantei? Why?"

"I-I'd like to ask him some questions as well."

"Oh, well he's retired now. He still lives in the city. He gave us his card, and his house is just five blocks down the road."

"Thank you Mrs. Daini." He looked back to where Nana was standing to see she was gone. Izuku sighed and left the apartment.

…

Izuku found the office building and made his way up the steps. The rain had picked up outside and it was close to storming. He entered the building and pulled his jacket hood down. He read the room addresses on the bulletin board by the door, and made his way up the steps.

"Hey."

"AH!" Izuku jumped back as Nana appeared in front of him. He barely managed to catch himself before falling back down the stairs.

"Sorry Kid. I didn't mean to scare you." Izuku calmed his heart down and looked back to Nana. She was wearing the smallest and weakest smile that Izuku had ever seen. Even on his worst days during middle school, he was able to muster up and fake stronger smiles than that. But, she still stood tall in front of him. "You okay?"

"I should be asking you that. We should just go. We've learned everything."

"Not everything. She said they were all killed, but we know that isn't true. Tenko is still alive. She doesn't know every piece of the puzzle."

"What puzzle? We know where he ended up. I think it's a safe assumption that All For One found them and killed them."

"...No. No he didn't."

"Why not?"

She turned around and began floating up the stairs, "I know him. And after your little interaction with him, I'd say you have a pretty good idea of what he's all about. He would've bragged about it to Toshinori. It would've been the killing blow to break his spirit, and he would've gotten off on it."

"Ew."

"You get what I mean. I just...Something's missing. Let's just finish this."

"Nana...You don't have to fake it." She stopped her ascension up the stairs. "I mean, it's me. You said it yourself. Fake smiling all the time takes its toll on you. I know that more than anyone. We're human."

"...C'mon Izuku." She slowly flew up the stairs and out of sight. The teen sighed as he watched her go. Izuku knew that their discoveries were hitting Nana hard, as they would to anyone. But, she was denying it all. She was just putting a smile on all the time and acted like everything was okay. It wasn't healthy, it wasn't natural.

...Why did that sound familiar?

Izuku trudged his way up the stairs and made his way down the hall and stopped at the door Nana was beside. He knocked on the door, and awaited an answer. The door eventually opened to reveal an older gentleman with graying hair and stubble on his chin. "You here for the Shimura case?"

"I-...Y-Yeah. How did you-?"

"The Daini's called about you before you got here. I didn't think any relatives of Shimura's still existed." He lifted up a manilla folder to Izuku. "But this case closed years ago. I have no use for this anymore. I hope find whatever you're looking for."

"Uh, thank you."

"They didn't deserve it, that family." He shook his head, and closed the door.

Izuku turned to Nana, "Well that was easy."

"He looked tired...and sad."

"So do you."

She looked at the teen and smirked, "I'm dead. I don't get tired."

"What about sad?"

"...Come on. Let's find somewhere to read this safely." Izuku followed her up the staircase again. He knew he was pushing her, but she was digging too deep and Izuku highly doubted that she was going to like what she found. They made it up the stairs to find a small windowed common space on the top floor. The clouds were nearly black outside, and lightning flashed in the distance. "Alright, open it up."

"Nana are you su-"

"Please...just open it." She didn't look well. Nana was stuffing down all of her sadness and she was ready to pop. Izuku somberly nodded, opened the folder, and placed the contents down on the coffee table. He read through the paper...and froze.

"...It says...I…"

Nana stood behind Izuku, shaking with fear. Her ever present smile was wobbling, unstable and ready to crack. "Kid, you're scaring me."

"...The Shimura Household was found to be completely destroyed. First responders found...found…" Izuku kept halting his words, not wanting to reveal what he had read.

"...Kid...Izuku just say it."

"...found large blood spatters and chunks of human remains. Along with...Along with large strands and clumps of bloody dust."

...Dust.

"The dust was first thought to be from the rubble. But, large bloody clumps of it were found in multiple areas in the backyard. There is a possibility that it is related to the killer. But lack of evidence has made that theory inconclusive."

But he already would've been so young to have...murdered someone. Not just someone. But multiple people.

His own family.

"DNA testing found that the blood belonged to all members of the family, and even the family pet's remains were found in the backyard. However, the son named Tenko was not found in the blood. It is likely that his remains were lost in the rubble or mixed up in the rest...No killer was found. The case was eventually closed after many years of no evidence or similar events taking place to show a trend. Due to inside meddling and mix up, the case never went public except to the neighbors and who they passed the story along to." Izuku dropped the paper and grimaced.

The dust was too convenient, especially with the quirk of the family's last survivor.

Did Tenko Shimura...Tomura Shigaraki...

...murder his own family?

Nana's family.

Her own grandson killed them all.

"Nana...I'm so sorry...I-...I don't…" Izuku turned around to see Nana staring wide eyed at nothing. Tears flowed down her cheeks from her unblinking, horrified looking eyes. Both of her hands were covering her mouth, hiding her true expression.

Hiding the fact that she was no longer smiling.

"Nana I-" Izuku reached out to her, but as soon as his fingertip was about to touch her, she vanished into nothing. "Nana? Nana!?" He screamed for her, but she was gone. Izuku sighed as he slumped back against the desk. He turned his head to look down at the report once more.

Was it really true? He would've been just a child. Not even 6 or 7 if Izuku was guessing Shigaraki's age right. And if he really did, what would have caused Shigaraki to murder his own family?

Maybe he was just jumping to conclusions. Izuku didn't know.

The best Izuku could hope for was that it had nothing to do with Nana. Hopefully it was for reasons that she couldn't have ever stopped whether she was alive or not.

...But, it was also undeniable that it likely wouldn't have happened if she never gave Kotaru away.

Izuku wasn't certain about any of it, except for one thing.

He probably wasn't going to see Nana for a few days.


	52. Headshot

**A/N: Some of you are going to be pissed. But I HAVE MY REASONS!**

**And sorry for the wait. I wrote a second chapter to An Insecure Violet and another to the MizuTori week prompts. After that gauntlet of writing I took a few days off.**

**(Hours Earlier) **

"Are you sure you guys don't want some?" Fatgum walked through the city streets with his apprentices, slurping ramen out of a 10 gallon bucket.

Kirishima and Momo both politely declined while Tamaki was silent. Momo shook her head, "I understand that eating is a large part of your quirk, but aren't you worried about your health?"

"Nah, my quirk protects me from most bad side effects from fats...mostly." He pulled an insulin shot out from his pocket and jammed it into his arm, pushing down the plunger. Ejirou and Momo looked at one another in shock.

Kirishima shook himself out of his stupor and changed the subject, "So, Midoriya is really tracking down a Yakuza boss? And he has to save his abused daughter? That's nuts."

Momo couldn't help but chuckle, "Izuku always manages to get into the oddest situations. I guess if it was action and experience he was looking for, he got it."

"We've only had one full day of these internships, and now everything's already gone insane. We went on patrol and found no one. I hope we get to try our hands at some bad guys too."

Tamaki looked down, "You guys are so tenacious. I wish Mirio was here. He would know how to handle your energy."

Fatgum slurped another long strand of noodles and looked over his shoulder at Amajiki. "You'll have that much energy whenever we fix that psyche of yours." Ejirou and Momo both watched as Tamaki clutched his chest in sorrow.

"You're not helping," He said with a wobbly voice. "Why do you always have to hurt me like this?"

Kirishima chuckled, "I'm pretty sure that's just his way of encouraging you."

"But, no matter how much he tries, I'll never be as cheery and positive as Mirio."

"I know how you feel. There's been a lot of times this year where I felt useless. Whenever things get bad, I feel like I can never do anything. At least, not anything of use. Hell, Yaoyorozu here has gotten my ass out of a lot this year. Academically and in the field. Like at Kamin-" Momo quickly put a finger over her mouth. "Uuuuh this one place. She managed to get everyone out of an extremely dangerous situation. I guess I just feel like I'm not a whole lot compared to everyone else. I'm being left in the dust. S'why I wanna learn a lot from this work-study. I need to close that gap and prove that I still have what it takes to stand alongside my friends and be a man."

Momo looked at the two boys and shared her story. "When I lost so quickly against Tokoyami in the Sports Festival, it hurt. I felt like I was so worthless and that I didn't deserve to be at U.A. I lost all confidence in myself. But, along came Izuku. He looked like a nervous wre-...Okay, even more of a nervous wreck. He cheered me up and tried to show me the good things about myself. My self-confidence was still at an all time low, but I was able to improve myself and feel like I actually belonged with Izuku's help. Even after all of that, he and I haven't been apart for anything since then. I was offered to go to his agency with him, but I want to see if I've actually managed to have gotten better and haven't been using Izuku's presence as a crutch of some kind."

Tamaki shook his head, "How are you first years so spirited?"

Kirishima nodded at Momo, "Ah, so that's how you two started up. I never actually knew what happened with you two. One day you guys were suddenly all over each other, and the class just kinda rolled with it. I'm not even going to bring up Jirou and Uraraka. I have no idea how that happened, and I'm not going to try to figure it out. I'll accept anything as long as Mineta doesn't get a harem."

Momo chuckled and continued. "What about you Kirishima? Are you infatuated with anyone? Perhaps a certain horned pink girl...or an explosive blonde?"

"Oh ha ha. Very funny" Kirishima said, rolling his eyes. "Look, I-"

"You bastard!" The group stopped and turned their attention towards a nearby alleyway. They all rushed to find two groups of 6 men standing across from one another. At the head of one of the groups, a man with dark eye makeup and tied back blonde hair was holding a briefcase and approached someone from the other group and got in his face. "Are you trying to cheat us? This is a way smaller batch than what was promised."

"There's been some complications from the producers. They're being watched. Distribution has to be limited for the time being."

"Bullshit! I know you have more!"

Two of the men were suddenly slammed into the building wall by a giant yellow mass. Fatgum grabbed two more and absorbed them into his fat, and bouncing them out into the armed men from the other group. "You guys can discuss this more in jail!"

The head of the group in makeup panicked and tossed the briefcase to a smaller, meaker thug. "Bro, take it and run! Get back to the hideout!"

"But-!"

"Just go!" As his brother ran off, he turned around to see Creati throw bolases at two of the other gang's men ankles, sending them to the ground. Kirishima tackled one to the ground, pinning him. And before he knew it, the blonde was wrapped up in octopus tentacles. SunEater lifted him off of the ground and held him. "Gah! God damn it!"

Kirishima smirked down at the gang member he was holding. "You guys are really so desperate for drugs that you do it in broad daylight? Doing drugs is already unmanly, but like this? It's borderline sad."

The little brother stopped in his tracks as he heard his brothers aggravated cries. He saw the teenage hero holding his brother up in the air.

He panicked and quickly opened up the briefcase and yanked out the gun inside, inserting the clip of special bullets.

Momo turned her head at the sound of the click of the clip, her eyes widening as she saw the weapon. The thug aimed his weapon at Tamaki. "Run for it Big Bro!"

_***BANG* **_

All of the heroes' worlds slowed down as the bullet rocketed towards Tamaki. The third year was suddenly shoved out of the way, and Momo took his place. From behind her, Kirishima watched as the bullet made contact.

Momo's head shot back from the impact, sending her to the ground, spinning around and landing on face down. Blood began to pool out from under her head. If Momo didn't land face down and the wound was out in the open, Ejirou was sure he would've thrown up. Kirishima's world went dark, focusing in on Momo's body.

She was...shot.

In the blink of an eye, his friend was dead.

He thought about the situations they had been through together, whether as friends or as a class in whole. He thought about Midoriya and the absolute devastation he would see in his eyes when he told him.

The darkness of his vision was replaced with a blood red. The thug continued to shoot, but they simply bounced off of Kirishima's head. "C'mon! What isn't this thing working!?"

"YOU COWARDLY, UNMANLY MOTHERFUCKER!" The criminal looked back up from his gun to see the red haired hero charging at him full speed, slowing turning into an unbreakable and jagged monster.

"Oh crap!" He spun on his heel and made a break for it, scrambling through his pockets for his enhancer drug. Soon both were out of sight and gone from the crime scene.

Fatgum screamed out, "Red Riot! Waiii-and he's gone."

"I'll watch over her." Fatgum turned to his third year protegé who was leaning over Momo. "Go after him before he gets hurt." The pro nodded and ran off down the alley, already pulling out his phone.

…

"GET BACK HERE!"

Ejirou shoved his way through the crowds of people through the market area of the city. The man he was chasing was panting heavily as he tried to move around people, but he was losing ground. Kirishima was on his tail. He would be caught in only a few seconds. He couldn't keep it up.

He quickly pulled out the syringe from his pocket and jammed it into his arm. The drugs coursed through his veins and he could feel his power increase exponentially. The deviant was suddenly bashed to the side, crashing into trash cans. Before he could regain his bearings, a hard and sharp hand ensnared his throat and lifted him off the ground.

He looked down to see furious crimson eyes and grit shark-like teeth. "I-I was just trying to help my broth-ack!" The hand around his throat tightened.

"So you decided to kill her!? Is that it!?"

"Y-You... You'll never understand," he barely wheezed out.

_*Shnk* _

A flurry of blades shot out of the criminals stomach, rocketing into Kirishima's body. He smiled, ready to make his escape.

...Only for Red Riot to not only not be affected by the blades, but just get even more pissed off.

The blades shot into Kirishima's body and continued to shatter on impact. He tossed the criminal into the air and fired an uppercut directly into the man's chin, sending him and his broken jaw backflipping and hitting the ground.

The thug tried to scramble away, his blades shooting out again. But, Kirishima simply bulldozed through it.

"RED GUN TURRET!"

His fist collided with the man's stomach, and then the hero head-butted his opponent's nose breaking it in the process. Kirishima grasped onto the low-life and held him on the ground. "You're lucky it was me here. If you did that in front of her boyfriend, you would be begging to go to jail...Well, if he left you alive that long."

_***Bam* **_

His gave one final punch, and the criminal was knocked out cold. Kirishima put a hand over his scratched and chipped stomach. The crowd behind him began to cheer, but he couldn't feel any pride in himself. He might've gotten the culprit, but his friend was still de...hurt. Just hurt.

_'Please be just hurt _.'

One: Because Momo was one of his closest friends.

Two: He would never be able to live with himself.

And three: It wouldn't matter if he couldn't live with himself, because Izuku would probably vaporize him.

"Oh God! Why was running invented!?" Ejirou turned around to see Fatgum had finally caught up to him. "Don't worry everyone! I'm here to-And it's already over."

Kirishima picked his downed opponent off of the ground and began running off. "We need to get back and check on Yaoyorozu!"

…

**(Present) **

Izuku fell back into his train seat, his head resting back and looking up at the ceiling. The day had been far more emotionally exhausting than he had planned for. All he had thought would happen would be they would find out where Kotaro was, either dead or alive, and Nana would get closure.

The possible murder of her son by her own grandson was not a part of that plan.

He couldn't even imagine the pain Nana was probably feeling. His own sadness for her was strong, but he could almost feel her spirit inside of him lamenting and crying out. Izuku couldn't help but feel guilty about it all.

He had pushed her to search for her son. Maybe it would have been better for her not to know. Some want the truth no matter how painful it can be, but…

Well, ignorance is bliss as they say.

The idea of losing someone close... Izuku didn't think about it. He had already pushed down the thoughts of All Might's possible death, so Nana's story didn't help keep those thoughts at bay.

Hopefully, he wouldn't have to deal with that anytime soon.

His eyelids began to feel as heavy as his heart, and he did his best to get comfortable. And soon, he was fast asleep.

…

**(45 Minutes Later) **

Izuku rubbed his eyes as he walked into the Nighteye Agency. He couldn't help but feel a spark of happiness in his chest as he remembered that Momo was going to be there. He couldn't wait to see-

"Mr. Midoriya!" Izuku turned to see one of the front desk worker running towards him. The man looked panicked. "You need to get to Futorisugi General Hospital right away!"

"What!? What's wrong?"

"Sir and All Might are already there. You're girlfr-"

_***ZZZKRRCH* **_

That was all the worker could get say before the teenager in front of him was nothing but a green streak of light bursting out the door, shattering all of the glass he passed. The sonic boom slammed into the man's eardrums along with the wind into his body. The shockwave launched him back.

As he rolled and hit the front desk, he covered his ears in reaction to the ringing echoing throughout his head. He looked up to see every window and light shattered to pieces, and the front door now broken on the city street. Black scorch marks were burned into the ground, trailing out of the building.

…

**(10 Minutes Later: Futorisugi City General Hospital) **

All Might sighed in relief as he sat down in his hospital chair. "For a minute, I was terrified that she was dead."

Mirai and Mirio sat next to him on either side and nodded their heads. Togata pursed his lips, "Either way, Midoriya is going to freak out. From the little time I've seen them together, I can easily tell they're crazy for each other. I wonder when he's gonna ge-"

"WHERE IS SHE!?"

"HOLY SHI-"/"WOAH!"/ "CHRIST!"

All three men jumped in shock as Izuku was suddenly in front of them. All Might coughed up blood and clutched his chest. "I'm already missing my stomach! Do you want my heart to fail too? How did you even get here so fast!?"

_*Sniff* _Toshinori smelled burned rubber, and smoke was rising from the floor. He looked down to see Izuku's shoes slightly melted and smoking. His legs were red and bleeding. "...Oh."

"What happened? Where's Momo?"

Toshinori quickly stood up and grabbed onto Izuku's shoulders. "I would tell you to calm down and get one of the nurses to fix your legs, but I know that's not going to happen. She's alive. But...she was shot in the head." He watched the panic in Izuku's eyes increase tenfold. "She's in room 4-H. We don't know if she'll-" But, Izuku was already down the hall, counting the room numbers as he went.

"Come on. Come on. 4-E, 4-F, 4-G, 4-H!" Izuku bursted through the door to see his loved one in the hospital bed…

Looking completely fine.

"Izuku? When did you get here Darling? And...What happened to your legs?"

"Wh-...Y-You're okay?"

"Of course I am. What did All Might tell you? He didn't respond to her question. He simply walked his way over to her, and collapsed onto the bed, sobbing into her chest. His bleeding limbs were spreading their crimson liquid on the white blankets. "Izuku?"

Izuku finally spoke, his voice muffled by her body. "H-He said that y-you were shot in the head. I-I didn't-...I don't-" Momo wrapped her arms around her partner, and held him closer as he rode out his mental breakdown.

Throughout everything. From receiving the news that he was quirkless, from his mother not believing in him, from his dad leaving, from Katsuki turning on him, from all the punches and burns, throughout it all. None of it came even close to the amount of pain Izuku felt when he was told something happened to Momo.

And she wasn't even actually dead.

His heart hadn't simply dropped when he believed Momo to possibly be dead.

He had no heart at all.

Izuku knew he had accidentally hurt that worker. He also knew he caused a lot of costly damage from accidentally breaking all of the glass at the agency, and their front door. But, back then, he really didn't care.

Momo captured his heart, and if she was dead, then he was too. He had not even known Momo for a full year, much less dated her for that long. But, life without her…

That was no life.

It was at that moment that Aizawa's words to them the night they moved into the dorms truly sank in. He had completely pushed his words out of his mind, because it was something he didn't want to think about.

_"What you really should be worried about is the dangers it can bring. Now and in the future, you're both now targets for the other's enemies. Anyone who hates you will go after your partner. Just watch each other's backs, or you'll regret it. Don't forget that." _

People would go after her. Momo...could die. She was a hero, and their lives were on the line everyday. Izuku couldn't be around to protect her all the time, and she couldn't always be there to protect him either.

Whenever he was out fighting, he knew the consequences were life and death. He had even come close to Momo's possible death at the training camp when she was almost captured. But this time he wasn't fighting. He wasn't there to try and prevent it. He wasn't in costume being Deku.

He was just Izuku Midoriya. The kid who almost lost the one he loved. It wasn't like when he didn't have anything to lose.

He had _everything _to lose.

Momo carefully took his head and lifted him up to look her in the eyes, pressing their foreheads together. "I'm right here, okay? I'm not going anywhere. Now let me wrap up your legs so you don't anywhere either."

Izuku nodded and moved to sit next to Momo. She moved down the bed, creating bandages from her arm. As she began wrapping up his appendages, Izuku wiped his eyes. "Damn. I've been on such a good streak of not crying."

"If you were the one hurt, I would've been a mess. Don't feel bad." Momo quickly finished with the bandages, and took off his shoes. "What happened to these?"

"...They melted."

"Yes, Darling. I can see that. What I mean, is how exactly were your shoes melted?"

"I ran _really _fast to get here."

Momo smiled, "For me?"

"Who else for?"

Momo's smile only widened as she made her way back up to Izuku's face, deeply kissing him. "I adore you Izuku Midoriya."

"I adore you Momo Yaoyorozu. I guess we really can't stay away from each other for long, can we?"

Momo chuckled and put a hand on his chest to lift herself up and felt his heart. It was still beating rapidly. Momo looked down at his chest questioningly. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm just still in shock. I thought...I-I thought you were dead for a minute with how urgent it all seemed."

"Everyone else did too."

…

**(Hours Earlier) **

Kirishima and Fatgum finally made it back to the alleyway where they left Momo and Tamaki. Police and ambulances were already on scene. The thugs from before were all being handcuffed and interrogated. "Got another one ya!" Kirishima dropped the man he chased down next to the police and looked around for his fellow students, but found nothing.

Fatgum approached one of the officers. "Excuse me, but where did my two students go? It's urgent."

"Oh, the boy and girl? The girl is being loaded into the ambulance."

The two ran passed the officers and made it to the ambulance. Tamaki was talking to one of the doctors, and Momo was...sitting down on a gurney looking alive and well.

Well, mostly.

The paramedic was checking her eyes for abnormal dilation, and she had bandages and gauze pads over her nose. Kirishima stopped in his tracks, and his eyes widened. "Y-...Yaoyorozu? You're alive!?"

Momo raised an eyebrow. Her voice came out stuffy from her clogged nose, "Of course. I-...Did you not check to see if I was alive?" She received no response as Ejirou picked her up in a big hug.

"Oh you're alive! Thank goodness. I was so worried. And now Midoriya won't kill me!" He set her back down and checked her over in disbelief. "Ho-...How!? I could've sworn that bullet hit you in the head.

"It did." Momo pointed at her forehead as it glowed a bright blue. A thick plate of kevlar appeared over it. "According to the paramedics, I have a concussion. It still hit quite hard."

"But what about the blood?"

Momo then moved her finger to point at her nose. "I, quite ungracefully I might add, landed directly on my face. My nose is also broken."

Fatgum fell to his knees and looked to the sky in relief. "You kids are going to give me a heart attack. First you get shot, and then Red Riot runs off after the guys with a gun. I thought I was gonna get two students killed."

Momo pursed her lips and turned to Ejirou. "Ah, I see. You ran off in a rage towards the deviant."

He rubbed the back of his head flustered. "Well, I was angry and scared. I thought you were gone. I didn't know what to do."

"Thank you Kirishima."

"Ah, it's nothing. Just being manly and all that."

Fatgum chuckled, "You should've heard him. He was shouting curse words and everything."

Momo smirked at Kirishima, "Inspired by a friend of yours I presume."

He nodded sheepishly, "I'll admit, Bakugou has taught me one or two things about using anger and pure force to my advantage...and cursing."

"Excuse me?" The paramedic got their attention. "We need to get her to the hospital to treat her concussion and nose properly."

Fatgum nodded, "Red Riot, you go ahead with Creati. SunEater and I can handle things here. We'll meet up with you as soon as possible. Great work you two." Both first years nodded and hopped into the van. "Oh, and by the way, I called Sir Nighteye. He should be on his way here. We'll give him the tracking device at the hospital."

Momo paled when she realized what that meant. Izuku was coming, which was wonderful.

...But he likely believed Momo to be dead.

"Oh dear." The ambulance doors closed, and the automobile drove off.

"Hey Fatgum?" The pro turned to one of the police officers at the crime scene. He held up a plastic bag holding a small bullet with a needle at the end of it. "You might want to take a look at this."

… 

**(Present) **

Izuku looked down at his lap, "I guess I have gotten a bit overly emotional lately. Kirishima really thought I would hurt him?"

"I'm certain he didn't...possibly. But, it's okay. Like I said, I have no idea how badly I would react if our roles were reversed."

"I-I guess I've just never really thought about losing you. I mean, we've been in life or death situations before but...I guess it's just different not being there. I've never felt so caught off guard in my life. I wasn't in costume, ready for anything. I was just walking along, minding my own business when I got the news."

Momo shrugged and sat next to him, leaning into Izuku. "That's what happens. It always happens when you don't expect it. Have you never thought about this sort of idea? That we can be hurt or killed at any moment?"

"Well, yeah but...not like that. I guess since I wasn't actually fighting, I've always had this sort of sense of invincibility. Once we're out of life and death situations and being civilians, the sense of danger just kind of leaves."

Momo cupped one side of his face and turned his head to look at her. "You still wear masks Izuku. But now these masks are the ones that you use to deceive yourself."

"What do you mean?"

Momo put a hand over his heart, "You're separating Izuku and Deku. You didn't think about the danger because you weren't in costume. Deku faces danger, but Izuku doesn't. You have to realize that wearing a mask doesn't make you a hero. You're already a hero. All day, everyday, no matter what you're wearing."

Izuku couldn't help but replace the word "mask" with "smile" in her sentence. "Wh-What if I'm confused on what kind of hero I should be?"

"Hm?"

"Or, w-well more accurately I don't know how to approach it anymore."

Momo had confusion etched into her face. "I'm not following you."

"...It's been a long weekend."

…

**(20 Minutes Later) **

"So...Shimura is in your head?"

"Essentially, yeah."

"And she doesn't want you to follow in All Might's footsteps?"

"W-Well, she wants me to be the number one hero. She just doesn't want me to copy All Might's "Symbol of Peace" persona...I think. It's still really confusing."

"And Shigaraki murdered his family?"

"Possibly. I can't be completely sure."

Momo bit her bottom lip in concentration. "Well, what do you think you should do?"

"I don't know. Smiling has always been the key to everything. It's all I've ever known about heroes. If I'm not supposed to turn into this large symbol for people to follow, then what am I supposed to be?"

"She said that you were the one that needed to answer that question, correct? Perhaps she was alluding to you already having the answer, but not realizing it yet. It's strange to think about that kind of ideal. All Might's influence has been so strong over the years that nothing could ever be in the running to compete against him; not to mention all of the people that felt he was the only true hero out their like Stain and all of the other followers of his that could only see the bad in so many heros and-'

Izuku watched in awe as Momo muttered like him. "I completely forgot that you do that too now."

"Pardon? Oh, yes. One of your traits that rubbed off on me. Have you told All Might any of this?"

"I told him that Nana spoke to me, but I haven't told him about Shigaraki or what Nana thinks of my future. How exactly do you tell someone that their mentor/mother-figure no longer believes in your ideals, and that her child was murdered by her grandson who is also the leader of the League of Villains?"

"...Very, very gently."

_*Knock* *Knock* _

The hospital room door opened to reveal Sir, All Might, Mirio, and Kirishima. Sir spoke first, "Forgive us for taking so long. All Might was insistent on giving you two plenty of time to yourselves first."

Toshinori leaned towards his former sidekick and whispered, "You're the one that told me what they eventually do this week. I'm not taking any chances."

"You think they would get intimate in a hospital?"

"They've done it before."

"Fair enough." Sir turned back to the teens. "I'm assuming you two are okay now? If so, then if you're able Yaoyorozu, I would like that tracking device."

"Oh! Of course." Momo leaned over her bed to grab her hero belt. She opened one of the containers and pulled out the device, handing it to Nighteye. The sidekick turned it on and gazed at it for a few seconds before his eyes widened.

"Well what do you know? She's at the compound."

Izuku raised his hands in exasperation, "So we've been waiting to find out that she was at the estate we've already been watching the entire time."

Sir, Toshinori, and Mirio all looked at one another and then back at Izuku. "Yep."

Sir raised the tracking device to look at it again. "Finding out this way saved us days of investigation. And if the forensics on the bullet shot at Yaoyorozu Fatgum told me about turns out fruitful, then this rescue might go down much sooner than expected. Midoriya, you're off duty until the briefing with the rest of the heroes. You'll be called back then."

"Yes sir."

You as well Togata." The blonde nodded, and the former sidekick took his leave with his student.

Toshinori nodded his head out the door, "I'll leave you two be. I think I'm going to help out with this case a while longer. I'll see you two back at school. I trust you can get home by yourselves without nearly dying."

Momo chuckled, "I don't think we can make that promise." Toshinori rolled his eyes as he left the room. Momo leaned back and rested against Izuku's chest, her eyes closing. "I have one final check up soon before I'm allowed to leave. But I'm tired. The pillow didn't work out like I had hoped it would. The real thing far exceeds its feather-filled doppelganger in my personal opinion."

Izuku smiled as he rested back against the pillows. "I haven't gotten much sleep either."

Momo mumbled into his chest, "I'm assuming it's not for the same reasons as me."

"Yeah...Well, also the pillow thing. But, I keep thinking about Eri. I can't even imagine what they're doing to her."

"We'll save her. Don't worry. What did she look like?"

"She had white hair and red eyes." Momo's eyes widened for a second at the description, remembering one of her descriptions of their imaginary daughter. But, she decided to ignore it and see it as nothing but coincidence. "She had bandages all over her body. Her terrified face has been burned onto the backs of my eyelids since I met her. Seeing another kid so scared like that...it hurts. I'm afraid of what we're going to find about her living conditions."

"Are you afraid it's similar to your childhood?"

"I'm convinced it's worse. Bakugou isn't a Yakuza boss. He was just some punk kid. But, Chisaki... there's no telling. There's a big difference between a bully and a Yakuza boss."

Momo nodded, "True. Hopefully she can hold out a bit longer."

"I almost took her right then and there."

"Making good-hearted, rash decisions is your specialty."

_'...Rash decisions.' _Izuku chewed his tongue in contemplation, and continued. "When I spoke to Bakugou before we left, he tried to apologize to me."

"Did he?"

"Yeah, but I rejected him. Was that a rash decision?"

Momo looked up at him with a furrowed brow. "No, it wasn't. We've been over this."

"I-I know it's just...I feel like I'm not exactly stable at the moment. Well, I guess I've never _really _been stable. But now it's different. I'm getting angry far easier after the fight. I can't tell if anything I do anymore is based on actual reasoning or if I'm doing something out of spite or some other emotion."

The "Creation" quirk user leaned up and gazed at Izuku in concentration. "You have been thrown about every curve ball there is. You're also lost. Your goals and philosophies are being challenged, which they have before. But, you've always been quite stubborn about it. This time however, the one questioning you is the same person who created those philosophies. Your stress levels must be off the charts. We need to find a remedy for that. I'd prefer having your hair as it is instead of it going gray. Especially so young."

"If you have a way to ease this amount of stress, I'm all ears."

Her lips pursed, but then her eyes widened and a knowing smirk appeared on her face. "I have some ideas."

"What?"

He didn't receive a response as Momo simply laid back down and tried going to sleep. "You'll have to wait."

"Wh-...What's that supposed to mean?" Again, he received no response except for light snores. Izuku sighed and placed his head against the pillow, accepting that he wouldn't get his answer that day.

As the couple began falling asleep, a certain hero was outside of the room. Kirishima had just gotten back from being questioned by the police, and went to check on his friends. But, he heard something... interesting.

_'...Bully?' _

… 

Ryukyu watched as the two giants rampaged throughout the city. She was proud to say the situation was actually a fairly easy one with Hado's.

...Well, if Nejire was actually out fighting.

The Dragoon Hero looked to her side to see Nejire simply standing next to her. "Wh-...What are you doing?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm not needed here yet."

"...May I ask why?"

A high pitched soundwave suddenly slammed into one of the ears of the giant's, causing him to scream and stagger. The other suddenly clutched his eye and began swinging wildly. The two then suddenly dropped directly into the ground, unable to move. Ryukyu's eyes widened as she watched Uraraka and Jirou walk out of the dust and debris.

"My turn!" Nejire flew up into the air sending shockwaves at the giants, knocking them unconscious.

Ochako pressed her fingers together. "Release!"

The giants' bodies were no longer being pushed down, and went completely slack. Kyouka and Ochako high fived and turned back to Ryukyu.

"...What just happened? And where's Froppy?"

"Right here." The teen's camouflage turned off and she appeared next to the group. "Ochako floated me up and I landed one of the giants. I was the one that took out his eye."

Kyouka raised her hand, "Soundwaves." She then wrapped an arm around Ochako, "And the key to it all."

Ochako pointed to herself, "Gravity increase."

Ryukyu nodded her head in shock, "Well...Great work. I'd say you've earned tomorrow off." She couldn't help but smile, _'These kids are full of surprises.' _

The girls smiled and made their way off of the battle site. Ryukyu turned to Nejire and pointed to Kyouka and Ochako. "Are those two...you know?"

Kyouka, having heard it clearly, turned back and said, "I'm about as straight as a bowl of Fruit Loops."

"I guess that's my answer."

_*Ring* _

The Dragoon Hero checked her phone, and saw the number.

_"Sir Nighteye Agency" _

…

**(The Next Day: Heights Alliance) **

_*Knock* *Knock* _

Katsuki opened his door to see Stupid Hair looking at him. "Oh, when did you get bac-"

"Why would Midoriya describe you as a bully?"

"..." Katsuki sighed and opened the door wider. "This was bound to happen sooner or later. C'mon Stupid Hair. You're going to be here for awhile."

Kirishima was in disbelief at how easy it was to get Katsuki to agree to talk to him. He was expecting at least a little...Okay, a big fight from Bakugou. "Seriously? That's it? You're just gonna talk?"

"I won't if you stay outside for the next 5 seconds dumbass."

"Ah, there he is."

"Shut the fuck up and get in here."

…

Izuku yawned into Momo's hair as he woke up. The two had made it back to the dorms late the previous night. He was home with his girlfriend. He should've felt more relaxed than he had been in the past few days or even weeks. Yet something felt off. Like he was forgetting something. He just couldn't place his finger on it.

He tried to move his arms from around Momo, but she held them in place. "Mmph."

Izuku chuckled, "I have to train this morning."

Momo turned around and burrowed herself further into him, "Even on my birthday?"

Izuku's eyes shot wide open. His eyes traveled to the calendar Momo keeps next to her desk.

_"September 23" _

_'Oh shit.' _

_*Bzzt* _

Izuku's phone suddenly buzzed, and he leaned across Momo to pick it up off of the bedside table. It was a set alarm for the specific date.

_"Izuku, this is a message you set for yourself two weeks ago. In the event that you forget Momo's birthday, don't panic. This isn't going to be some cliche sitcom episode. You already bought your gift, made reservations, and had the whole day planned out in advance. _

_ You're welcome, _

_ Past You. _

"Oh thank goodness."

Momo suddenly got out of bed and made her way to her closet, grabbing her clothes for the day. "Actually, we should get up." Directly in front of Izuku, she took off her shirt and began changing. Granted, he had seen Momo in arguably less. Her original hero costume and her nightgown were the prime examples.

This just felt... different.

It was clear Momo knew what she was doing, and had a purpose behind it.

Izuku's eyes went wide as she stripped down to her magenta underwear and changed in front of him with no remorse or embarrassment. Once she was done, she smirked at her partner.

"Besides, it's going to be a big day."

_*Bzzt* _

Izuku looked down at his phone again to see another message.

_"P.S. Momo likely has something planned to completely throw us for a loop. So if anything is suspicious, throw the whole plan out the window." _

"...I'm going to die today."

**A/N: Now, before anyone types COP OUT listen up. First, did you really expect me to kill Momo. Like, really? Also, I'm not doing a stupid amnesia plotline. And to top it all off, this fake out wasn't meant for you. It was a fake out for Izuku. You, the audience, already know that Momo is going to be just fine.**

**You know why?**

**Does the end of the chapter tell you anything? Or how about Nighteye's prediction a couple chapters ago? Momo has to be okay for that to happen. I wasn't trying to trick you. You already had your answer right in front of you.**

**And also, this Momo is far too skilled to be stopped by a bullet.**

**This was meant to 1: Be another event to cause the raid to occur quicker.**

**And 2: It's another addition to not only Izuku's stress, but his realizations about his future. The concept of sudden death and loss and what it means. It's also an eye opener for him to realize that it's another problem he ignores with his masks. Like everyone else he blocks away his problems. It's also for him to notice he separates hero life and regular life. It's a piece of his lack of confidence, and it'll play into the hero I'm going to make him.**


	53. Happy Birthday Momo

**A/N: You all know what's about to happen.**

**But, I guess just in case. **

**SMUT/LEMON WARNING**

Momo gazed at herself in the bathroom mirror, checking her nose over. It looked normal. The healing quirks at the hospital certainly did their job. And her concussion was gone as well. But, it wasn't about the physical problems that spawned from the crime. The problem was that it happened in the first place.

One crime.

One crime, one fight, one thug fought away from Izuku, and it ended with her in the hospital. She could easily chalk it up as an utter failure on her part. Since the Sports Festival, and with Izuku and Edgeshot's help, her self-confidence built up quite nicely. Her combat prowess was better than it had ever been, and her last multiple plans and on-the-spot ideas had worked. From the finals, to I-Island, to summer camp, to Kamino, to the license exam, she had done well. One could even say she did great.

She had fought All Might for goodness sake!

...Granted, she didn't technically win...and he was handicapped. But, it was still an achievement.

But, then one street punk gave her a concussion and broke her nose. Correction, she broke her nose from falling on her face in the middle of a fight.

...How heroic.

She shook her head and slapped her cheeks. She couldn't think like that. Not on her birthday. She was 16 and there was no way she was going to allow some drug peddler throw away everything she had built up.

"Happy Birthday Yaomomo!" Momo smiled as her face was squished against Mina's, and the pink girl's arms wrapped tightly around her friend. She had left her room and had just made it to the first floor before Mina collided with her. "I didn't see you come in last night! I heard about the fight and got worried when I figured out you went to the hospital."

And there it was again.

With how hectic things had become, Momo was happy to have at least a single day of peace. But, the events of the day prior had been attacking her mind. As confident as she finally was in herself, she couldn't help but feel prickles on her heart when she thought about her injury.

Yes, it had been to save someone. But, it was still her first real crime away from Izuku. And yet somehow it ended with her injured and right back into Izuku's arms.

She had been spending so much time thinking about Izuku's wellbeing that she had hardly thought about herself. Izuku was top priority, but Momo knew that her confidence would always need construction. She was terrified of history repeating itself. One small slip up like at the Sports Festival, and she could possibly end up in another downward spiral. And then Izuku would dedicate his time to helping her instead of focusing on all of the issues he's trying to deal with.

She wanted and needed something else to prove herself. The crime from the day prior was not good enough. She needed a challenge to rise up to.

She wanted to truly be a hero. To be someone's hero.

Sure, she had helped to save Kota. But, she had a feeling Izuku was more of the hero in that situation. He had sacrificed his entire body to no end to save Kota. He was the one that told them to run while he fought. Momo felt like she was just kind of...there.

Watching Izuku go through hardship after hardship made her realize that she had hit a bit of a lull. Things for her hadn't been hard. It was hard for Izuku. Her involvement in his hardships just made Momo think that she was also experiencing those troubles.

She was back into living easy. Hell, she even had a nice warm bed, someone to share it with, still had top grades, and her combat victories were on an upward streak. Besides being in a relationship with Izuku, history was literally repeating itself. Momo refused to fall down the same rabbit hole again.

Her thoughts had traveled to the little girl Izuku was utterly focused on, Eri. The situation sounded like it would end up worse than anyone thought. She could tell Izuku saw some of himself in her. A frail, little child full of fear and hurt. The urge to rescue her engulfed Momo as well.

Maybe, she could be her hero.

That sounded selfish. Momo didn't want to save Eri for personal fulfillment. The moment she heard about a little girl in danger, Momo wanted nothing more than to save her. Anyone in their right might would too.

It was just...frustrating.

Momo knew she had developed the skill. She knew she had grown to be more than what she used to be. She wasn't just a rich girl with intelligence and a good quirk...Okay, that was actually a lot of good things. What she meant was that she could see more in herself. She had seen what it was like to simply be a normal person. She had fallen in love with a normal person.

If you could call Izuku normal.

The life of a studious, rich young woman would have never given her the same experiences and viewpoints of the world as her life now did. She could be a hero. She now had the confidence in herself to say she could.

But, she needed to apply that new confidence and skill. She needed a victory to call her own.

But, as Momo felt the warmth of her friend and the knowledge that she would feel the warmth of all of her other friends and Izuku pushed those thoughts away. Another day. She'll handle it another day.

"Thank you Ashido." She was set down and released by Mina. Before she could even collect herself, a gift was shoved into her hands. "Oh! Well thank you." Momo moved to open her gift, but Mina grabbed her wrist.

"Don't open that! Not yet. Come on!"

"I'm afraid that I'm confused. Why would you give me the gift if I-Ah!" Mina dragged her across the common area and out of the side door. Once they were out on the front porch, Momo realized what was going on.

In front of her was all of the girls of Class 1-A at a circular table covered in a red tablecloth with breakfast pastries, fruit platters, juices, and teas. Each girl was holding a gift and were clad in their pajamas, all simultaneously saying "Happy Birthday!"

Momo covered her mouth in surprise, but was smiling all the same. "Girls, this is wonderful!"

Kyouka shrugged, "Ah it's nothing. We thought we should get to you before Midoriya steals you for the day. Where is he anyway? We figured he would be sewn to your side."

"Oh, he needed to train. Izuku insisted on staying with me, but I wouldn't want to hurt his training schedule. He works so hard to keep it strict...However…"

Tooru raised an invisible eyebrow, "What did you do?"

Momo looked out at the pathways across the campus. "I did ask one very small favor of him as a sort of an extra present."

The girls followed Momo's eyes to see Izuku taking his morning run...completely shirtless.

Mina quickly sat down and began eating, "A meal _and_ a show!? Momo's birthday is the best!"

Kyouka dryly scoffed, "I might not be attracted to it, but I can still appreciate Midoriya's body." She put a hand in Ochako's shoulder. "Just don't go falling back in love, alright?"

"Shush! They don't know about that!"

"Yes they do."/ "Yes we do."/ "I always knew, ribbet."/ "Kinda obvious, Hon."/ "I sincerely apologize if it seemed like I stole him from you. That was not my intention."

Ochako blinked a few times, blushed profusely, and curled up in a ball turning away from the group with Kyouka rubbing her back. Momo's birthday breakfast ended with most of the girls giving her books, except for Kyouka who gave her a Casio keyboard for, as she put it, "Piano on the go". The rest of the class (besides Bakugou) had stopped by to wish her a happy birthday. Sato had even dropped by and gave her a cake. Momo knew it was probably hard to buy her gifts. What do you buy a rich girl who also had the ability to create anything she wanted. The rest of the girls watched as Izuku kept running across campus at full speed. Kaminari was actually out for a jog as well. And as Izuku sped on by, he called out to Denki. "On your left."

...and again. "On your left."

...and then again. "On your left."

Lap after lap, Izuku passed Denki. Denki could hear the quickly approaching footsteps behind him for the seventh time, and he immediately broke out into a sprint. "NO! NO! NOT AGAIN!"

But it was no use.

"On your left."

"Shut the hell up!" Denki fell down into the grass, gasping for breath as Izuku ran further ahead. "Electro Buddies my ass."

Kyouka proceeded to laugh hysterically in her seat. "Hahahahaha! Hahahaha!" She wiped her eye and calmed down, "Ah, his failure amuses me."

Tsu turned to Kyouka, "You're kind of sick, you know that?"

Kyouka looked up in thought at the comment, and simply shrugged. "Meh."

Mina quickly waved off her friends trying to silence them. "Hush! He's doing push-ups now!" Momo squinted her eyes at Mina questioningly. "What? I can ogle too. Do you think my threesome offer was a joke? He's a hunk." Momo, not exactly knowing how to respond to that, sat down and began eating. "Speaking of whom, how's it all going? Any trouble in paradise?"

"Relationship-wise, no. Everything is perfect in that regard. Every other trouble is just from hero work.

"And do you have anything planned for your 'Darling' today?"

Momo blushed, "...Perhaps. Kyouka, no eavesdropping." All of the girls looked at one another in confusion, but didn't push the subject further. Izuku eventually finished his workout and made his way to the front porch. Mina and Tooru dog whistled at Izuku, and he then realized that he was still shirtless.

Mina cupped her hands around her mouth, "Lookin' good Sexy!"

Izuku blushed and quickly put his shirt back on. Momo rolled her eyes and lightly hit Mina's arm. Izuku zipped inside and came back out with a large wrapped box, placing it on the table. "I-I have no idea how to wrap gifts. I had to have my mom wrap it for me."

"It's quite alright Izuku," she laughed. She carefully untied the ribbon and took off the wrapping paper. Inside was a digital vinyl turntable that looked like an old fashioned radio. Multiple records came with it, from Old World Pre-Quirk Era, to modern day. "Oh Izuku! I love it!" She brought down his face and kissed him.

"I-I figured you would enjoy the older looking style. And it k-kind of works with the style of your room."

Momo stood up and began walking inside, "I'll go set this up right now. I'll be right back."

As she left, Izuku turned back to the rest of the group and jumped in surprise to see Mina and Tooru directly in front of him. Tooru was the first to speak. "Soooo Midoriya, what do you have planned for our beautiful Yaomomo today?"

Mina crossed her arms, "Are we talking classic romance? Dinner, movie, carriage ride?"

"H-Honestly, I did have things planned. But, I have a strange feeling Momo has some plans of her own. So I think I'm going to follow her today."

Mina shook her head, "Tsk Tsk. Sounds a bit lazy to me."

"...You say this to the one letting you take the credit for the breakfast party idea."

"...Fair enough Midori. Fair enough." Momo came back outside, and Mina and Tooru gave the "I'm watching you" motion towards Izuku as they backed away. Izuku awkwardly stared back until Momo took his hand and walked him off the porch.

Momo chuckled, "Don't listen to Mina. Whatever she threatened you with, she wasn't serious. Besides, she might be trying to steal you from me."

"Oh...Wait, what?"

"But, moving on. What should we do today Izuku?"

"Oh, w-well honestly I thought you would have some idea. I mean, it is your birthday after all. I don't want to drag you around. Today is all for you."

"I actually do have an idea."

Izuku raised a brow, "We'll do anything you want. What is it?"

"It involves a lot of coordinated movement, sweating, and two bodies hitting one another."

His eyes widened at the implications being made. "You...I-I...Really?"

…

"Ow."

Once again, Izuku was slammed onto the mat. Sparring wasn't exactly what Izuku had in mind.

He raised his head to look back up to Momo, who was smirking down at her boyfriend. "Why are we doing this again?"

"I realized we've never actually fought before. And while this isn't exactly a fight, it does help me see your hand to hand combat skills without a quirk."

"And?"

"You're lacking."

Izuku groaned and put his head back on the mat. "What round are we on?"

"27." He groaned once more. Momo chuckled and gave off a smirk of mischief. "If you're getting tired, I think I am a way to invigorate you."

"...Don't you mean _'you have_' a way to invigorate me?"

"No." Izuku squinted in confusion, and raised his head to look at Momo only to have something thrown in his face. He pulled off the object to see Momo's gym uniform jacket. His eyes flung wide open as he saw Momo standing in front of him in nothing but violet sports bra. "Are you ready to continue?"

Izuku was beginning to get scared. Momo was being...oddly sexual. Yes, it wasn't exactly strange for her to express her physical and emotional desires at times in private. But, Izuku could tell Momo was really trying to put on a show that time. His innocent side was saying to turn away.

...Buuuuut, his teenage boy side was telling him to look at his girlfriend.

He hopped up onto his feet, and took a stance. Momo charged him, diving down to sweep his feet. He leapt over Momo, swiveling around to face her again.

Only for her to be gone.

_'Why does she have to be a ninja?'_

_"Left"_

Izuku was startled by the sudden voice in his head. "Nana?" He looked to where she had told him to see Momo already in a flying kick towards his chest. Izuku ducked and rolled out of the way. Momo, surprised Izuku managed to dodge, stumbled but managed to stay on her feet. Izuku looked around for Nana, but found nothing. Izuku shook his head and went back to his fight. Momo went back to her stance, but stretched her arms high above her head to pop her joints. Izuku didn't miss how she pushed her chest out towards him.

"Is this your way of trying to make your opponent distracted?"

"Yes. However, it's also to…"emphasize" my opponent's weak points." Momo looked down and Izuku followed her eyes.

"Ah!" He quickly turned around and covered his crotch. "That's n-not fair!"

An arm wrapped around his neck and flipped him over, his body pinned under Momo's. "All is fair in love and war, Darling." She released him and stood back up, putting her jacket back on. "Thank you for this Izuku. We should do this again. I'll meet you outside. And you might want to think about something that disgusts you to put your little friend down, because Class 1-B is scheduled to have this gym in the next three minutes."

Izuku quickly zoomed out of the gym and into the boys locker room with Momo laughing in the ring.

…

Izuku stepped out of the gym to see Momo waiting for him. "Can my embarrassment be my gift to you?"

Momo smiled and kissed his cheek, "If you wish. But I guess that means I can continue to think of more situations to put you in."

"Nevermind."

"Although, I do have a few more places I would like to visit."

"Where?" Momo took his hand and began walking. After a while, Izuku realized where Momo was taking him. Before him stood the stadium where the Sports Festival was held. She led him through the gates and into the interior. They wove through the halls until Momo stopped them. She looked down at a spot that held nothing, but the significance was everything. The two didn't say anything, both knowing where they were. Momo sat down in the same spot where she had cried six months ago. And Izuku sat down in the same spot where he awkwardly consoled said crying girl.

Momo leaned her head on Izuku's shoulder and sighed. The two sat in silence for quite some time, each simply enjoying the other's company and reminiscing. "Six months."

"Yeah. And we've only been officially together for two of them."

"And yet, it feels like we've been together since that day we first spoke."

Izuku nodded, "In a lot of ways we have. I guess we just didn't kiss or...do other things back then. Besides that, we acted pretty close."

"What an adventure it's been." She lifted her head and they faced one another. "An adventure of...questionable events. But, I'd say the end results are worth it, wouldn't you?"

Their noses rubbed together, "Definitely." Their lips met in the place where their story together started. Both couldn't be happier knowing that they still had plenty of chapters left to read.

Izuku moved down to her neck, but Momo stopped him. "As much as I would love to continue this, I would much rather not do this on a dirty floor."

Izuku continued kissing her neck, "It's not that dirty. And you could create a blanket."

Momo giggled, "Fair enough. But we're technically not even allowed to be here right now."

Izuku sighed, "Okay. Let's go." The couple stood and made their way out of the stadium.

Momo squeezed his hand, "Maybe for your birthday. But, I have another place I want to go to. And this is more of a gift for both of us." Izuku was confused, but went along anyway.

…

"Wh-...What's going on?"

"My mother told me about this a few days ago. But I felt that it would be more fitting to tell you today." Izuku looked up at his old middle school with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. Renovation and ownership signs were everywhere. As they entered through the door, plaques of new rules and regulations against bullying and harassment. Teachers walked around and Izuku couldn't recognize a single one of them.

"When did this happen?"

"Your mother and mine started this. Don't worry, Inko didn't share your story. All my mother knows is that this school being changed is very important to you and her. What do you think?"

"I-I...I don't know what to say. I-..." Izuku stopped and turned to look at a locker. Or the lack of one. In the long row of lockers, one was missing.

"What is it Izuku?"

"This used to be my old locker." A janitor walked past the couple, and Izuku turned to him. "Excuse me? Where did this locker go?"

The man looked at where Izuku was pointing to and responded. "Oh, yeah. One day we just hear some kid yell and the next thing we know the hall is filled with smoke and it looks like someone set off a grenade in the locker.

Screaming and explosions?

"Do you know who did it?"

"Nah, there was no one in the hall when we got there. But I could've sworn I saw some random blonde kid leave the school. I've never saw him before."

"O-Okay. Thank you." The man left and Izuku turned back to the locker. Momo walked up next to him and gazed at the empty space.

"Do you think it was him?"

"I don't know. Maybe...Maybe he really does feel guilty."

Momo pursed her lips, "Before I left for my work study, he came by and asked me where Yubi's shop was." The thought of Bakugou truly being on an apologizing crusade made Izuku feel hope towards the blonde. But, time would only tell. Today wasn't about him anyway. Although, there was something he wanted to do.

"Hey, follow me." He took Momo's hand and led her towards and up the stairs. They climbed all the way up to the roof access door. Just as he put his hand on the door handle, Momo stopped him.

"Izuku, do you really want to be up here?"

He squeezed her hand and gave her a confident smile, "Yeah, I do. Trust me." He opened the door, and the two walked to the edge of the building. When Momo looked at Izuku, she didn't expect to see him smiling. "This place used to be where I would go when I didn't want to be anywhere. When I didn't want to exist. When I didn't want to live anymore. I would look out at the sunset and think it was my last one. I would think about what would happen if I was born with a quirk. I thought about the friends I would have. I thought about my dad coming home, and my mom being happy. I thought about how I could somehow find love. But, now I'm here looking at that same sunset. And all I can think about is how lucky I am, and how much I love waking up every morning. I love my life." He faced Momo. "And I owe a lot of that to you. 16 years ago today, my hero was born." Momo covered her mouth as a few tears welled in her eyes. "Happy Birthday Momo."

She quickly brought him into a tight hug, one of which he returned with the same amount of force. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and burrowed into the crook of his neck. "Thank you," she whispered into his skin. _'...I guess I am someone's hero.'_

Izuku rubbed her back and returned her a kiss of his own. "Is there anything else you want to do today? Anything at all?"

Momo knew that after Izuku's statement, it was time.

She slightly pulled out of the hug to look Izuku in the eyes completely serious. "Actually, there is one thing. Izuku...I think I'm ready."

"R-...Ready for what?" Izuku said with legitimate confusion.

"Izuku…" She placed a hand on his chest. "...I'm_ ready._" She watched as his eyes slowly widened in realization. His jaw slightly dropped. "Izuku?...Are you breathing?"

"..."

"Blink if you're breathing."

He didn't blink.

"Oh dear." Momo tried to snap Izuku out of his stupor by snapping in front of him and lightly slapping his face. "Izuku? Did I break you?" Momo was terrified that she somehow put Izuku into a strange kind of coma. But, then she blinked.

Literally just blinked.

And Izuku's shirt was suddenly off.

"What the-!? What are you doing!?"

"You said you were ready!"

"Not here! Back home!"

Izuku cleared his throat and put his shirt back on. "Yes, of course. U-Uh, let's go home, shall we?" The two walked their way back down the stairs, but halfway down Izuku stopped her. "Y-...You do mean sex, right?"

Momo sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Yes, I mean sex."

Izuku then picked her up bridal style and Full Cowled out of the building.

…

"You do realize that our licenses to use quirks in public are only for important uses, yes?"

"I'd say this is pretty i-important." Izuku had rushed them all the way back to U.A and into Momo's room, locking the door behind them. Izuku looked around the room to see soundproof pads on certain spots of the walls. "Uh...How long have you been planning this?"

"Not long. I created these this morning when I set up the turntable. I love Kyouka, but there are just some things I do not trust her to do. And one of those is not to eavesdrop on conversations that she can use for teasing fuel."

Izuku nodded, and then had a sudden realization. Well, realization is the wrong word. More like the situation finally sunk in.

...He was about to have sex.

Sex. Love-making. The V-Card Turn In Station.

Not only was he about to have sex, but he was about to have sex with the most beautiful girl in the world he's in love with. And, as far as he knew, he was the first one in his class to do so. Even Katsuki never had a girlfriend.

The burst of excitement and confidence Izuku had at the school was suddenly reduced to nearly nothing.

"Izuku?" He turned to Momo, who could see his nervous sweating already starting. She was starting to get butterflies as well. "I-I've been planning on doing this, and I want to do it a specific way. If you wouldn't mind sitting on the bed." Izuku breathed in deep, and walked to the bed. He sat against the edge and awaited Momo's orders. "Are you ready Izuku? Do you really want to do this?"

Izuku thought back over the past six months that he had gotten to know Momo. He thought about everything they had been through. Everything he had helped her through, and everything that she helped him with, and continued to help him with. He knew he was just a teenager. He knew there were a lot of things about love that he probably didn't fully understand yet. But, from what his understanding of what love was at that point in time, he couldn't think of anyone else he would ever want to do it with. Hell, there was no one else he would rather spend the rest of his life with. "More than anything."

Momo sheepishly smiled, and lowered the lights to a dull glow. "Alright, just hold on. Close your eyes."

Izuku did his absolute best to calm his quaking, and closed his eyes. He had never been more nervous in his life. Even the entrance exam couldn't compare.

Would he do well? What if he somehow accidentally hurt her? Was he…"big" enough?

"Open them."

_'Oh please let me be big enough. I know she won't laugh, but…but…'_

His thoughts completely shut down as Momo stood in front of him in her school uniform without socks and shoes. One would think, "Why would that make his thoughts stop? He sees her like that almost everyday." That is true.

But, literally anything she wears makes his mind falter.

"This is what I wore the first time we saw each other. Even if we didn't converse, our eyes found one another." She slowly walked forward to Izuku, and began unbuttoning her blazer and white button-up. "And don't worry Izuku. You'll be more than amazing."

"I said all that out loud?"

"Correct. And, it's not as if I know what I'm doing either. And as for size, I don't believe it matters and I'd love you either way. But, from what I've felt from behind me in the mornings, I think you're definitely far more than adequate." Just as all the buttons became undone, and Izuku saw the middle of the bra underneath, Momo opened up the clothing and her entire body glowed blue.

The shirt and blazer fell down, and so did her skirt. But nothing could be seen due to the blue light. Soon it died out, and Momo was standing in a created replica of her gym uniform. "And this is what I was wearing when we first spoke officially. When you told me that I was amazing, and that we'll go beyond together. I'm sure neither of us would have guessed that phrase meant together for years to come, even if those years aren't here yet. I'm sure they will. The clothes I wore when we hugged for the first time. The clothes I wore when you kept your promise to me, and won the Sports Festival against all odds. The clothes I wore when our friendship first began."

A dim blue glow lit up underneath her uniform, and Momo placed herself into Izuku's lap. He could feel her body shaking in nervousness, and her blush was still flaring profusely. There was a slight shakiness to her voice, but the rest of her expression exuded confidence. Oddly enough, it soothed him. He was glad to know that he wasn't the only one that was scared. But, scared in a good way. Izuku leaned up to kiss her, but her finger against his lips stopped him. "Not yet, Darling. We're not to that part of the story yet."

Yet, that didn't stop her from moving in slow circles on his groin.

Momo took hold of Izuku's arms and wrapped them around her body. Safely held, she lifted up her legs and slowly pulled down the bottom half of her uniform. The pants fell to the floor and she then moved onto her jacket, unzipping all the way down her torso. She switched from sitting on Izuku's lap to straddling him with both knees placed on the bed, one on each side of Izuku. Momo rolled her shoulders back, and the jacket fell to the floor revealing Momo's first hero costume lacking its belt underneath.

Izuku let out a shaky breath as he looked up and down at Momo's skin-tight revealing unitard. This was the first time she had worn it with Izuku actually allowed to look. From her collarbone, to the overabundant cleavage and the valley in between, to her toned stomach. That costume had been in so many vivid dreams he'd had. Izuku could not enforce the thought enough that he wasn't a pervert.

But he couldn't take his eyes away from Momo in possibly her absolute sexiest.

Sexy _and_ a hero costume? Izuku loved his life.

"I don't think this one needs any explanation," Momo lightly chuckled bashfully. "Would you believe me if I told you my original design for my hero costume was more revealing than this?"

"R-Really?"

Momo stood up for a second and walked over to her desk, pulling out a paper. She straddled Izuku again, handing him the paper. Izuku looked down and his eyes widened. "Holy sweet Mother of God."

Momo giggled, "The school forced me to change it...Although, I suppose I could create it for you sometime." Izuku merely nodded, and allowed Momo to put the paper back. Once they were back into the same position, Momo lit up blue once more, and was soon in her costume. "The costume you made for me. In a way, it was like you were being protective over me. You didn't want people seeing me like that."

Izuku decided not to mention the fact that it was also to stop his member from standing at attention during Hero Practice.

"And to help keep your erections under control."

Nevermind.

"How did you know about that!?"

"You just told me."

"Damn it." Momo giggled at his reaction and stood up from her "seat". She walked over to the vinyl player Izuku got her, and pressed play. As the record began playing _Unchained Melody_, Momo's blue light engulfed her once more. She stripped down until her glowing ethereal blue body was clear to see. A cream dress exploded out around her body, covering her up again. Izuku recognized the dress. It was her dress from I-Island.

"The dress from when we first danced. When we first kissed, albeit on the cheek. And, I find it fitting that we first dance vertically before we dance horizontally." Izuku couldn't help but laugh at that. He stood from the bed and made his way to Momo. His hands found her waist, and her arms wrapped around his neck. Their bodies pressed together, and they swayed their way in circles. The dimmed lights, the music, and the warmth of their significant other was all intoxicating. At that point of the night and for the rest of it until morning, they were the only one's in the world.

"You know…" Momo pressed their foreheads together. "...you actually have gotten a little taller." While at the start of the year Izuku's eyes were level with the bridge of Momo's nose, now he was just barely off from being eye level to her.

"W-Well, bodies evolve to survive and fulfill their needs. I guess my body realized it needed to kiss you to live."

Momo giggled, "Now if only it could make your bones indestructible. I can help oblige its first need, however." Momo glowed under her dress, and the article of clothing fell to the ground. Momo was then wearing her khaki shorts and white "Creati" t-shirt from the camp. "While I can't exactly call fighting Muscular a good memory, what happened directly after was fairly memorable. Do you remember?"

"I think so." Izuku pressed their lips together, and they continued until the song played out. When his eyes opened, Izuku found Momo in the dress from Kamino, and the shirt and khakis on the floor.

"I was wearing this when you told me about One For All. It was there that I knew that, no matter what, target on your back and all, I wouldn't leave your side. I also know how much you like this dress." Momo turned around, facing away from Izuku. "If you wouldn't mind untying my dress for me. We're almost done."

Izuku gulped, but took hold of the ribbons holding the dress up and pulled. The dress fell to reveal the nightgown from their night at his house. "Technically the hospital gown is what I wore when we first spent the night together, but I think this gown is more fitting. If you could just do one more thing for me Izuku? Could you put in the next record and hit track 7?"

Izuku made his way to the turntable and did as he was asked. _You Take My Breath Away_ by Queen began echoing throughout the room.

"And now, this is what I'm going to wear when we make love for the first time."

Izuku turned around to see Momo…

Wearing absolutely nothing.

Izuku took in a sharp inhale, and his lungs stopped working. The nightgown was pooled around her feet, and everything was open for Izuku to see. Her beautiful porcelain skin contrasted with the dim light. Her perky, large, and bountiful breasts moved with every heavy and nervous breath she took. Her muscles were toned, yet her body was smooth. Her hourglass figure was perfect.

Scratch that. Her entire body was utterly perfect.

Izuku lowered his eyes to see her shaven groin, and pink folds out for him to see. Izuku's heart was pounding in his ears...and his nether region. Momo turned and walked to the bed. Izuku knew that most people that ogled her would look at her breasts. But, from what he had seen before had been entirely confirmed now that it was completely open for him to see.

Momo's ass was also perfect.

Said ass sat down at the foot of the bed, and Momo beckoned Izuku over. "It's your turn."

The teen slowly stepped his way towards his partner. With every step, he took off another article of clothing. Momo 's eyes traveled down as more of Izuku's chiseled body was shown. His shirt was thrown to the floor and Momo gazed over every ab and dent of muscle across his torso. In the next step, his pants were kicked to the side. His member was clearly begging to be free, stretching and pushing against the fabric of his boxer-briefs. Izuku stood barely a foot from Momo at that point. His blush was all across his face, but the fire coursing through his body was inextinguishable.

He took a deep breath and grabbed the hem of his underwear, yanking them down and letting them drop to the floor. Izuku closed his eyes, not wanting to see his girlfriend's reaction. It was the first time seeing each other naked, but Izuku felt like he had a lot more to prove. It was already known that Momo was utterly, angelically beautiful in every sense of the word. But, Izuku felt that it was make or break if his size wasn't suitable enough to pleasure her.

"Oh...Wow."

"I-Is that a good reaction or a bad reaction?" He opened his eyes to see Momo looking wide-eyed at Izuku's erect penis.

"G-Good...Very good." Momo exhaled and smiled at him. She stood up, the two now barely apart. "Well, h-how do you want to start?"

"I thought you had this all planned out."

"To be honest with you, I half expected to chicken out. I'm just as lost as you now, Izuku."

He chuckled shakily and took a deep breath. "I think...I think we should just go with the flow. We'll take things by instinct."

Momo nodded and looked down again, "Um...You touch mine, and I'll touch yours?" Izuku nodded, and slowly lifted his hands to finally grasp Momo's bare breasts. Each hand pressed against Momo's ribs and slowly moved their way up her body to cup each pleasurable mountain. Momo's breath hitched as he squeezed. The favor was returned when Izuku felt a brand new sensation.

His hips slightly bucked when he felt Momo's hand wrap around his member and give a single pump. Izuku let out a shaky breath as Momo continued to slowly pleasure his member. They pressed their bodies together with Momo a little bit to the side as to keep pumping. Their mouths and tongues collided, and Izuku's left hand moved from Momo's breast to her butt. The young woman's hand gripped Izuku's dick and used it's thumb to rub the head. Izuku shivered against her, and pulled back a bit.

Their foreheads pressed together and their pants and heavy breaths were nearly in sync. "You first."

Momo raised a brow in question, "Hm?"

"I'm afraid of...releasing too soon. And I can't help it anymore. You first." Before Momo could ask him to elaborate, Izuku gripped her rear end and lifted her up. He stepped up onto the bed and placed her down with her head on the pillows. His lips found hers and their tongues once again doing their own dancing. Eventually, Izuku pulled away and Momo felt her body shake at the look in his eyes. When Izuku said he was going by instinct, she didn't think he actually was going to have such a primal look in his eyes.

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. All Momo could see in him was pure love and desire. The fire blazing throughout her body was easily challenged by Izuku's. The shy boy she knew was now more than ready for their first time. Izuku's lips and teeth latched onto Momo's earlobes and neck, sucking, kissing, and licking down to her shoulders and collarbone until reaching her breasts.

He eyed Momo's breasts for a little while longer. These were legends throughout the school. He knew plenty of guys (and some girls) stared. He had received more than one jealous glare, but they quickly looked away in fear when Izuku caught them staring at Momo.

But, now he saw what no one else would ever see.

And they were no one else's but his.

Izuku's mouth wrapped around Momo's nipple and immediately began sucking. "Ah!~" Momo's moan of pleasure added lighter fluid to his flame. His tongue flicked back and forth rapidly and his entire mouth worked to suck as hard as they could on her boobs. "I-...Izuku~."

Izuku moved his hand not on her other breast to her lower entrance. His middle finger found the bud at the top of her vagina, and he slowly circled around it before pressing down. Momo's entire body bucked upward into him. He looked up to see Momo looking down at him with a face of pleasure and love he would never forget. Sweat was barely beading on her forehead, her eyes were dazed, and she was panting heavily.

His fire turned into an explosion.

Izuku moved down across Momo's stomach, leaving kisses as he went until he was face to face with her pink folds. It throbbed and shimmered with fluids. Izuku gazed up at Momo once more, and she gave a breathy chuckle. "I-I didn't know how you would feel about hair. So I decided to shave."

Izuku's eyes widened, "I-...I didn't shave. Should I go shave? Because I'm sure I can do it quickl-"

"Izuku." He stopped his tangent at Momo's words. "Don't. Stop."

The command in her voice spurred Izuku on. "Yes ma'am." He looked back to Momo's vagina, and took in as many folds as he could and her clitoris. After one lick Momo quaked and involuntarily clutched Izuku's head in her legs.

"_Oh!~ Oh my-nngh! D-...Damn.~" _Her hand found his hair and gripped tightly. As Izuku continued to lick and suck every crevice he could find, his hand came back up to Momo's entrance and searched for the hole. Once he did, his finger slowly entered. As soon as he did, something smacked his head.

_*Bonk*_

"Ah! What the-?" Izuku rubbed the top of his head and lifted himself up. He looked down to find the culprit of the hit. To his left, there was a…

Russian nesting doll?

Momo's eyes widened, "Oh! Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! It just happened!"

Izuku shook his head and laughed, "It's okay Momo. Really, it is. I-I guess I can keep this as proof that I did a good job."

Momo giggled, "Yes. An extraordinary job. But, I feel like I should make it up to you." In the blink of an eye Izuku was suddenly flipped over. His head hit the pillows and Momo's arms were placed on each side of his head. Momo gave him a sultry look, and attacked his tongue with her own. She sucked his tongue into her mouth and then moved to his bottom lip. She dragged his head up to follow until she released his lip from her teeth. She dragged the bottom of her tongue from his lips, over his adams apple, through the valley of his pecs and abdomen, and down to his pelvic area.

Her mouth hovered over his member, her hot breath making it pulse even more. She took hold of it and pumped a few times. Izuku breathed in deep and awaited Momo's next move. Her tongue ever so slightly lowered down and the tip of her tongue licked the tip. Izuku bucked just a little, but kept his composure. He propped himself up on the pillows to look at Momo, and the sensation Izuku felt when she looked deep into his eyes while slowly engulfing the head was indescribable.

Izuku laid his head back in ecstasy. Momo's tongue swirled around his head as her hand continued to jerk the shaft. "_Ah~..._Wh-Where did you learn to do this?"

She released his head with a pop, "Same as you. Instinct." Her mouth once again enveloped Izuku's penis. Momo bobbed her head up and down while flicking her tongue every which way she could. Her mouth left his penis once again, but not before leaving a wet kiss to the bottom of the head. She brought her breasts up and placed his penis in between them. Izuku watched in awe as she wrapped her arms around them, tightening their grip on Izuku's member. Momo placed his lower head back into her mouth, and moved her breasts up and down in rhythm with her own bobbing.

Izuku felt as if someone managed to liquify sexual pleasure and gave in an overdose straight into his veins. His mind completely shut down. The only thing he could focus on was what Momo was doing to him, and looking into her eyes. Izuku could already begin to feel his climax approaching. He didn't want that just yet. He would've found it embarrassing if he did.

"M-Momo?" She looked up at him with a raised brow. "I-...I think I'm ready." Momo released her hold on his member, wiped her mouth, and nodded. She raised herself to be eye level with Izuku. The two shared more passionate kisses as Izuku switched their positions. Momo sat with her upper half slightly elevated from the pillows. Her legs spread open and Izuku took his position in between them.

It took him all the way until that moment to realize something.

"Uh...I just realized I don't have any protection."

"It's okay Izuku. Trust me." Izuku looked down to see Momo's vagina begin to glow blue. He looked at her questioningly, but she simply nodded at him to continue. Izuku and Momo both steeled themselves, and the former placed the head of his penis at the latter's entrance. Izuku looked to Momo one last time for absolute confirmation. Once he received the go head, Izuku slowly pushed in.

As Izuku entered, something thin and rubbery rolled its way over his penis until he was completely inserted.

Momo released a long exhale as he went in entirely. "Aaah...Ah...Wow."

An extremely tight and hot feeling gripped onto Izuku's member, utterly sending wave after wave of pleasure throughout his body. He watched Momo's face scrunch up in slight pain and then ease up into pleasure. "Are you okay?

"Yes. Yes, just give me a second."

"The...The hymen is supposed to break, right?"

Momo gave a thin chuckle, "That's not the hymen Izuku. I made a condom inside of me. My hymen likely broke a long time ago from either hero work or other physical exercises."

"...You made a condom inside of your vagina? Did you practice that?"

"No time for questions. I believe I'm ready." Izuku gave her an uneasy smile, and he received one right back. Both breathed heavily from nervousness, excitement, and exhaustion. But, both still had fires that raged inside.

Whatever flame they had, could now consume the sun.

Izuku made his first thrust, and immediately both bucked their hips into each other. Momo could feel every inch of Izuku fill her up. Her inner walls were clamping down hard on it's visitor, but were creating enough liquids to make movement possible. Izuku's first pump soon turned into a second one, and then a third, and so on so forth. His pace was slow and steady at first. Momo brought her hand to the back of Izuku's head and combed through his hair. She brought their foreheads together as Izuku picked up the pace.

Their bodies moved in rhythm, and each thrust and push against the other's body increased the pure euphoria and bliss of the action. Izuku began to glow very dimly, and pulses and vibrations were sent throughout Momo's body. Izuku combed his fingers through Momo's hair, taking her hair tie with him.

Her black tresses fell, and splayed across the pillows. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up as he thrusted faster. With his head level with Momo's chest, he went back to work on her breasts. Momo's moans echoed and clashed with the song in the background, still on repeat.

She pushed Izuku down so that he was flat on his back, and she continued to bounce up and down. Throughout it all, Izuku couldn't figure out which view was his favorite. His hand found her chest again, and slowly dragged downward. He found her entrance and began playing around with her clitoris.

He felt that if he was just going to lay on his back, he should at least do something in return for her. Momo leaned over and kissed him as they made love.

It was all becoming too much. Their senses were completely overtaken with the sounds, feelings, and movements of their significant other. Climax was rapidly approaching.

"M-Momo...I-I about to-"

"Me too." Izuku flipped them over once more, and Momo wrapped her legs around his waist. He began thrusting as fast as he could while sucking and biting on and around Momo's earlobe. "_Oh God~...Izuku…"_

He moved down to her rapidly beating pulse point and kissed her before going back up to connecting foreheads. As the heat and elation rushed through their bodies, rising and rising at a bullets speed to release, they looked into each other's eyes.

With one final thrust, Momo's walls clamped down on Izuku's penis like a vice. His body jerked slightly as his climax finally exploded from him. Quite literally as small bursts of unstable energy sparked and popped around him and his partner. Both their bodies dived into their own pool of rapture, each shuddering as one final burst of pleasure seeped through their bodies and outward from their nether regions. Their moans were quieted by the other's mouth.

Izuku's muscles nearly gave out as the final way left him. He propped himself up on his elbows, millimeters from Momo's face. Both breathed heavily, in and out in sync with one another. Izuku burrowed his head in the crook of Momo's neck, and she wrapped her arms around him. But, not before draping the blankets over them.

At that point, they were facing the foot of the bed, but neither of them gave a damn. Izuku pressed a long kiss to her neck, and said against her skin, "I love you Momo." He raised his head, pressing his lips to hers. "I love you more than anything. I always will."

"I love you Izuku. More than anything, always, and forever."

They kissed once more, "Happy Birthday." Momo smiled, and noticed something enticing. She could see in Izuku's eyes the same fire from when they started.

He wasn't done.

And neither was she.

Momo, to Izuku's chagrin, got out of bed and made her way over to the turntable. With Izuku obviously staring from behind. She changed the song to _Get Down, Make Love._

Also by Queen.

"My birthday isn't over yet, Mr. Midoriya."

**A/N: Hey, it's legal for me. What's your excuse?**


	54. Whatever Fate Awaits

A**/N: Ah****, what's it been a month? Sorry about that folks, I took a small vacay. Mostly because I may or may not have been understandably super tired and passed out sitting up, realizing that I needed to relax. My sleep schedule is all kinds of fucked up.**

**And I can't believe it's taken me so long to promote this. I've known about it forever. But there's a TV Tropes page about this story.**

**It won't allow the link on here for some reason, but just go to TV Tropes and check it out.**

"You've been sitting there staring for two hours, Stupid Hair. You've gotta say something."

"...What exactly do I say to that?"

Katsuki shrugged and pulled out a water bottle from his mini fridge. He leaned against the wall looking out to his balcony. "Well, De-...Midoriya beat the shit out of me, Ponytail despises me, his mother probably hates me, so I expect you to follow the trend."

"I...I'm confused about a lot of this." Ejirou turned from his position on the edge of the bed to look at Bakugou. "I'm seeing some plot holes. Midoriya was bullied for what exactly?"

"Can't say. It's not my place to tell you."

"What about his quirk? Why didn't he use it to defend himself?"

"Can't say that either."

"What can you tell me then!?"

Katsuki shook his head, "Everything I just told you. I and everyone else bullied Midoriya for years, isolated him, beat him up, all of it. I was the main culprit and I told him to kill himself. Anything from Midoriya's side of the story is his private information. So don't fucking ask me." Ejirou already figured out about him, so there was no hiding what he did. But, Katsuki knew that, if what he thought about All Might and Izuku was true, then he couldn't tell Ejirou that Izuku was quirkless.

He also felt that it would be really bad if he told Kirishima about Izuku's mental state throughout it all.

"You're not exactly giving me much to go on."

"What more do you need, Dumbass!?"

"I don't know! I jus-...I don't know." Kirishima rubbed his bleary eyes and sighed. "I don't know what to think. And honestly I just feel bad that I tried to defend you. Midoriya must think I'm a real idiot for siding with his bully."

"You know he would never do that. He's obnoxiously apologetic...Well, except with me. The real question is, why are you still here?"

The faux red haired teen raised a brow, "Hm?"

"You're still here. I told you all of that, and yet you're still here."

"I'm beginning to question that myself."

"I kinda figured you'd be pissed."

"Oh, blindingly so. But, decking you out of nowhere is unmanly. And with something so private I'd rather not cause a big commotion. What do you do when it turns out your best friend is an assho-...Okay, even more of an asshole? I'm stuck in the middle of a broken bridge between my friends."

"Except the person you go to should be obvious."

"...Yeah, it should."

Katsuki grunted, "And once again, you're still here."

"I think...I think it's because I can see how distraught you are." Ejirou expected to be yelled at for saying Katsuki showed any kind of sadness or guilt, but Katsuki simply continued to look out the screen door. "I've never seen you like this. Granted, I haven't even known you for a full year. But, this is definitely far away from how you usually act...You didn't think you were doing anything wrong, did you?"

Katsuki shrugged, "Sort of. Second guessing myself was never exactly ingrained into my head. The teachers didn't help either, but I can't blame them for everything. I can't even blame them for the majority."

"...And you're trying to fix it, right?"

"More or less."

"The hell does that mean?"

Katsuki chugged his water bottle and tossed it in the trash bin. "I can't apologize to him now. I've already tried, but he wouldn't accept because I was just doing it to do it."

"As most would."

"My Old Hag said I have to forgive myself first. Apologizing is about moving on and shit, and I can't fully do that with guilt in my stomach. I gotta accept it all before we can both move past it. And if he can't move past it, then so be it. I deserve no less." Katsuki turned back to Ejirou to see him wide eyed, surprised that his friend said something a little profound. "...Or something shit like that. Whatever the fuck that hag said."

Kirishima chuckled at Bakugou's attempt to cover up his emotions, and let out another long sigh. "I guess that's all you can do. Me getting angry isn't going to make it any better either."

"It'll feel good."

"Are you trying to make me hit you?"

"Just sayin'. Look, just don't tell Midoriya you know. At least, not now. I really doubt it would make my situation better if they knew I told you. And...Icoulusyurhel…"

"... Excuse me?"

"Icouluseyourhel."

"Use real words!"

Katsuki growled and clenched his fists, "I. Could. Use. Your. Help."

Ejirou raised a brow, "You're…asking for help? You!?"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Dickwad. Look, I think it's pretty obvious I don't do well in emotional situations. I just...I've recently come to the realization that it might not be the best idea to push everyone away. As far as I can tell, you're the only one here who really cares anymore. The jury is still out on Midoriya, Ponytail fucking hates my guts, I can't even remember the names of Pikachu and Captain Office Supplies, much less anyone else's name, Aizawa and All Might aren't happy with me either. As far as I know, you're all I got. And trying to handle it alone caused me to blow up a locker at another school."

"...Hold on. What was that last part?"

"Moving on! So...we're still friends?"

"...I probably shouldn't."

"But?"

Kirishima sighed, "_But _I also believe it's manly to help someone who's trying to redeem themself." He raised a fist to Bakugou, and the blonde connected his fist with Ejirou's. "However, if you make too many slip ups, I can't help you. And Midoriya is all your business. When the time comes to truly apologize, it's all you."

"Deal. Thanks...Stupid Hair."

"Strike one. You gotta learn names, Dude."

...

**_(The Next Day)_**

_*Bzzt*...*Bzzt*...*Bzzt* _

"Mmph…'Zuku, phone."

"Uuughh." Izuku groaned as he rolled away from Momo and grabbed his phone from the bedside table. He squinted his eyes at the light of his phone in the dark room, seeing Sir's name lit up on the screen. He clicked the green button, answering the call. "Mm-'ello?"

"I...have been...trying to call you...for three hours!" Izuku moved his phone away from his face as the voice of Sir Nighteye blared in his ear.

"Why would you call so early? The sun isn't even up."

"It's 2:30 in the afternoon!"

Izuku's eyes widened as he looked back at his phone screen to check the time. "...Oh."

"You're lucky I already called your school to excuse you from class so you can get to this meeting. Why exactly are you still in bed?"

Izuku pursed his lips as he felt Momo's arms wrap around his body and her bare chest pressed against his back, her lips pressing repeatedly on his shoulders. "...You don't want to know."

"...Just get here."

_*Click* _

"...Momo, we need to go."

Momo sighed, "I assumed so." She unwrapped herself from around Izuku, sitting up to stretch. Izuku sat up as well, blushing as he turned to look at his partner and remembering that they were both still completely naked. The night before had been…

"Exquisitely perfect and magical? Yes. Yes it was." Izuku decided not to even ask if he had muttered all of that, because he knew the answer. Momo wrapped her arms around Izuku and placed her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for the most wonderful birthday, and night, of my life."

"And early morning."

Momo chuckled and kissed his cheek, "Yes, and morning. And, hopefully for more to come."

"So...How are you going to top it for my birthday?"

"I'll have to think on that during the train ride. We should go." Momo stood up from the bed and made her way over to the bathroom. Izuku wasn't exactly an expert on movies outside of superhero films, but he knew where it was going. Or, at least he hoped. If his knowledge on film was correct, Momo was going to ask him to join her in the shower. He watched, with his eyes definitely "not" roaming downwards, as she walked into the bathroom. She turned on the shower…

...And said nothing.

Well, life wasn't always like movies.

Although, the previous night definitely felt like something not a part of reality. Izuku looked back on his life and could only wonder how he got to where he was. 5 years ago...Hell even a few months ago he never would have believed he would not only have a girlfriend, but she would be the most stunning woman in existence. It was like a dream.

It was just a shame that he had to go back to the real world where there was a little girl likely being abused by a Yakuza boss.

Izuku sighed and made his way to the dresser to pick out clothes. "Are you not coming?" Izuku whipped around to see Momo in the bathroom doorway with confusion etched into her features.

"W-What?"

"I asked if you were coming to the shower. I figured you were going to join me."

"Y-...Yeah, I-I'm coming." Momo smiled warmly and walked back into the bathroom, the sound of her footsteps entering the shower echoed into the main room. _'...Izuku...You've made it.' _

He pumped his fists into the air, and made his way into the bathroom.

…

Bubble Girl furrowed her brow in confusion as Sir put down his phone and continued to gather papers. "I don't understand. If you're going to do what you said, why have him come to the meeting?"

"I'd rather he be mad at me for one thing then for two. He'd be furious if he didn't come to this meeting."

"And you think he won't be furious when you tell him he's off the case?"

"... It's for the best."

"And I'm also assuming you haven't told All Might either?"

Sir turned his glare towards her and motioned to the door, "We have guests, don't we? Go socialize." Kaoruko shook her head and walked out the door. Mirai sighed and leaned against his desk, crossing his arms.

"You know…" Mirai jumped as his protegé's face suddenly phased through the wall to his office. "...for a guy who can see the future, you don't seem to care about just how bad the backlash is going to be."

"Mirio, you don't understand."

"Hmmm, nope. I'm pretty sure I do."

"Really?"

"...Okay, not entirely. _Buuuut…" _Mirio disappeared from the wall and made his way through the door and over to the desk and leaned next to Sir. "...I do know that Midoriya's a great kid and an even better hero. I know he's got something special inside of him. I know there's something, I don't know what, but something that casts a shadow over his heart. And I also know he's got deep connections and care for others, including All Might. Which those feelings, as far as I can tell, are returned right back. Sound familiar?"

"What are you getting at Togata?"

Mirio simply smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "You know what's strange? You didn't care for Midoriya when he first came here. And yet, now you're trying to protect him?"

Sir scoffed, "If All Might's stories are true, then the boy seems to have that effect on people."

The blonde nodded, "That he does. I barely know him and I already care. He's like a puppy. But, I digress. Can it be, perhaps, that you see a little bit of yourself in him?"

"Really? This cliche? Togata I-"

"Now hold on. Just give me a minute. Ahem…" Mirio took a deep breath, "...A young fanboy with a chip on his shoulder becomes attached to All Might and is taken under his wing."

"...Damn it."

"AHA!"

"That's enough. Togata, this is ridiculous."

"I'm not done, Sir. Now that you have All Might back in your life and you see how happy he is, you don't want to endanger that happiness. And you can see that Midoriya is one of the sources of that happiness. Sir, you're kicking Midoriya off the case because you don't want him to get hurt."

"He's just a student. A first year! Overhaul is more deadly than-"

"Midoriya wasn't the one I was talking about." Sir pressed his lips together as he looked away.

"Sir, what happened the last time you tried to talk All Might out of something?"

"He ignored me and stuck to what he wanted to do."

"So, what exactly do you think is going to happen this time now that you have All Might and miniature All Might? If I'm not the one to convince you, then it's going to be Midoriya "

"It doesn't matter. I'm his boss, and All Might is retired. I have the final say in the matter."

The blonde sucked in through his teeth, "Yeeaah, about that. You see, it's only small rumors, but word around U.A is that Midoriya isn't exactly one to care about the law or the command of his higher ups when someone needs saving. You didn't see the look in his eyes when he realized what was likely happening to Eri. Even when I tried to keep everything under control, he had every intention of saving her."

"It shows just how reckless he is."

"Maybe. But, it also shows just how much spirit he has and how devoted he is not just to what we do, but to helping others. Which, once again, sounds familiar. Perhaps a now retired pro number one hero?" Sir sighed and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. "He's going on this mission whether you like it or not. He's got a lot to prove, and this may be his chance."

Sir moved his tongue around in his mouth in thought. Mirio wasn't even aware of how true his statement was. Midoriya certainly did have a lot to prove and live up to. "I'll think on it."

"So, yes?"

"I said I'll think on it."

"I heard yes."

Sir chuckled and pointed at the door, "Go." Mirio winked at him and suddenly sunk through the floor. "...He just forgot his clothes don't phase with him" Sir said, looking down at the pile of garments left on the ground. The sound of the padding of feet quickly approached his door.

_*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* _

"Can you pass me my clothes?"

"Hmmm, should I?"

"Sir! There are pro heroes here! Don't do this to me!" Nighteye amusedly picked up the clothes and passed them out the door. Mirai sighed as he shifted back to his desk. There was also the problem of One For All. If the results of the testing on the bullet were true, then if Izuku was hit with the final product...

Midoriya seemed to always make everything more complicated.

…

"This wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

Momo raised a brow as she ran her fingers through her hair, removing the remaining suds from the shampoo. "What do you mean?"

"W-Well, honestly I wasn't expecting we were actually going to get clean."

"...It's a shower Izuku. That's the purpose of it."

"...Y-Yeah."

Momo giggled, "Yes, I am also aware that you would rather be "getting dirty" in here than getting clean. Perhaps another time. We do need to go leave, and this saves time and water."

"Well, I could've just showered in my own room."

"I assumed you would rather have a shower with me in it than a shower with me not in it."

"...Very true."

Izuku deadpanned, slightly disappointed. But, he knew she was right. He needed to get to Nighteye's as soon as possible. Every second off duty was another second that Eri was suffering. He quickly began scrubbing himself with soap as fast as he could.

…

"So, this little girl Eri?"

Izuku turned in his train seat towards Momo. "Hm? What about her?"

"How bad do you think the abuse goes?"

Izuku crossed his arms and leaned back, "To be perfectly honest, I don't actually know if she's actually being abused. At least, I never got an admission. Chisaki was avoiding the topic. But...her limbs. Her limbs said it all."

"The bandages, yes. I remember you mentioning them. Perhaps when we save her, we can teach her how to see the scars in a better light like you do."

Izuku shook his head, "I hope so, but I have a bad feeling that how she achieved them is a lot different than how I achieved mine."

…

**(45 Minutes Later)**

"A quirk that can destroy and then fix anything he desires."

Oh…

It _definitely _was a lot different.

_Far, FAR _more different.

Everyone else's voices in the meeting room faded out as Izuku stared down at his lap in horror. The images of Eri's arms flashed through his mind, and the same was happening to Mirio in the seat next to him. _'No...No that...That bastard.' _

Momo wanted nothing more than to take Izuku's hand, but she felt that he might accidentally crush it if she tried. She watched as his look of horror transformed into one of rage. His fist was clenched so hard that his knuckles were white and veins popped out of his muscles. She did the best she could, and placed a hand over his own instead of in it, and another hand on the small of his back.

Luckily, her touch got through to him. His look of rage changed to pure determination.

Sir continued his presentation, "Chisaki had a daughter that we can't find in any birth records. Due to her lack of records, we can't figure out what his quirk is. But, if he wants her so well hidden, and her bandages...Well, I think you can all figure out the rest."

Ryuko shook her head slightly as she gazed at the table in disguise, "If what you're implying is true, that's...repulsive."

Gran Torino grimaced, "Anything you can imagine in a super powered society can happen."

Kirishima looked around at the rest of the table, "What are we imagining?"

Rock Lock scoffed, "This is what we get for bringing kids. Use your head."

All Might stood next to Mirai and cut off Rock Lock's rude comments. "Young Kirishima, we believe that Chisaki is destroying his daughters body, turning it into bullets, and then putting her back together. She's essentially his science experiment that he's selling on the Black Market."

As the looks of disgust plastered themselves across the faces of everyone in the room, Sir made a correction. "We're not exactly sure if selling is the right word with how weak the effect is. Apparently, the interrogated drug dealers were getting these samples for free. We believe Chisaki is trying to gain followers, but also test driving his product. From the testing we've done on the bullet we retrieved intact thanks to Ms. Yaoyorozu, the inner materials temporarily shut down the quirk gene."

Kyouka raised her hand, "Wait. Shut down? Like how Mr. Aizawa's quirk erases quirks?"

"In a way, but the process is much different. However, even if Chisaki isn't selling, he's amassing funds for further research and test driving. That can only mean one thing. He's working on making a final product. A bullet that can completely erase a person's quirk. Permanently."

Fatgum shot out of his chair, "This is all terrible! We gotta knock down their doors right now!"

Rock Lock rolled his eyes and scoffed, "So if these kids just saved the girl when they met her, all our problems would be solved."

Izuku whipped around, "Hey! We-"

"Don't blame them," Mirai interrupted. "They couldn't have known the circumstances. And they did take measures to save her. In fact, if it wasn't for Midoriya, we would be weeks behind schedule." He pulled out a remote and changed the projector screen. An overview of the city came up with a blinking dot. "Midoriya carefully placed a tracking device on Eri. We now not only know her exact location, but we recorded the every turn she makes. We have a decent map of the entire basement level. Without Midoriya, we would have been searching for weeks trying to figure out where she was."

All Might gave a smile and nodded to Midoriya, and then continued for Nighteye. "And with Young Yaoyorozu's tracker, we've isolated the signal. A tracking device will be distributed to every single hero and officer on the mission. Now everyone will be able to keep track of and find Eri."

Rock Lock started up again, "If she's even alive." The patrons of the table became speaking out against him. "Hey, I'm just sayin' just because there's a tracker on the body doesn't mean the body is alive."

"She's alive!" All eyes turned to Izuku and Mirio who had both shot out of their seats and spoke simultaneously.

"She's alive, and we'll save her!" Izuku said, his eyes sticking to Rock Lock.

Fatgum slammed his fist on the table, "I like these kids!"

"And once again, my point is proven that the kids shouldn't be here."

"Actually, Rock Lock…" Everyone turned to All Might at the front of the room. "I have to agree with the kids. If you can't find any hope in this mission, or even treat these students with some common courtesy, then I suggest you and your attitude can leave." All eyebrows lifted. No one had heard All Might be so stern with another pro. "Every single one of these kids have played an important role in the takedown of Chisaki and the rescuing of this girl. In fact, Young Uraraka has recently made a development with her quirk that exponentially increases its gravity, effectively keeping anything or anyone she touches in place. So I'm starting to question your usefulness here."

Ken opened his mouth in shock, but closed it and slightly nodded towards Nighteye to continue his presentation. Everyone then realized that if even All Might was taking a mere presentation so seriously, it would be best to just continue to follow orders. Sir Nighteye was once again reaffirmed that All Might truly cared deeply for the boy if he was going to firmly defend him against another pro hero. His decision for Izuku's involvement was getting more difficult to make.

"Ahem." Eraserhead got everyone's attention at the end of his table. "If we can get back to business, I have a question. I'm not exactly sure how your quirk works, but why can't you just look into the future and tell us how the mission is going to go."

All Might and Nighteye looked at each other, and then looked back to Aizawa. "My quirk has limitations. I can only view someone's future for an hour each day with a twenty-four hour cooldown period. It's like a film I watch of someone's life, but only from a close and vague third person perspective."

Gran Torino nodded, "That could still be more than enough to gain info."

"...I can't. If I look into one of your futures, and your death is near...I'm sorry. I can't live with that. The fates I see are not guaranteed to be avoidable. Time is strange. With every different change someone tries to make to avoid fate, everything rearranges so that whatever you're trying to avoid still happens. If I show anyone an unavoidable death...I'm sorry. But I can't." Sir stood up and readjusted his glasses. "That is all. I shall remind you all of the danger each and every member of the Yakuza poses. And Chisaki, if he touches you, you will die. I understand if any of you find the mission too risky. But, you must make your decision soon. The warrants are already being processed. The day after tomorrow, the raid begins. Good day. Midoriya, I wish to speak to you in my office."

He left the room, a somber expression on his face. As everyone began to pile out, Izuku turned to Momo. "I'll be back."

"Any idea what he wants?"

Izuku shook his head and followed Nighteye out the door. When they made it to his office, Nighteye sat down in his chair and motioned for Izuku to take the seat across from him. "I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here. I'll make this short. I don't want you on this mission. I want you to stay home."

"Wh-...What? Are you serious!?"

"Yes, I am."

"I-...No! No, I'm going!"

"I know."

"Yes, I am! Eri needs help! If I-..." Izuku stopped his rant, and blinked. "...Excuse me?"

"I know you're going. You must watch specific wording. I said, 'I want' you not to go. I never said you weren't going. I _want _you to stay safe. I _want _Mirio to stay safe. I _want _Yaoyorozu off of the case. I _want _all of you kids off of the case. I _want _All Might to be happy, and you being alive is a requirement for that. I _want _so much. However, I know I can't have that. I know you're going to go, even if I kicked you off of the mission. I know I would get the same answer if I tried to keep Mirio off of the case, and Yaoyorozu, and everyone else. Listen, I don't know you very well. But, All Might and Mirio both seem adamant on telling me that you and I are alike in some ways. I, however, see them in you. There's this fire in your eyes, it burns brighter than anyone else's. And that fire can consume you, just as All Might's consumed him and led him to his injuries and retirement. The brighter the star, the faster it burns out. Chisaki is no normal villain. One mistake. One single touch, and you cease to exist. I know the only person that can stop you from going on this mission is yourself. So Midoriya, humor me for a minute. I need you to look at the life you have now."

"Sir-"

"Midoriya, listen to me. Look at your life. Everything. The day after tomorrow, all of that can vanish due to a man's fingertip. I need you to tell me, right now, are you going on this mission? Are you willing to risk it all for a girl you don't even know?"

Izuku furrowed his brow as he thought of his new life. A quirk. Friends. He went to his dream school. He had a mother that believed in him. Someone that he could see as a father. The perfect woman was in love with him, and their future together seemed to have no end in sight.

Izuku looked up at Nighteye, stood, and held his hand out to Sir. "Look into my future."

"What?"

"Sir Nighteye, please. Look into my future."

"Midoriya, you heard me downstairs. I'm not going to-"

"Sir..._ Please _. Just this once. I'm not All Might." Mirai looked at Izuku's hand reluctantly. He pressed his lips together and closed his eyes. After a minute of thought, he grasped Izuku's hand and looked into his eyes. Izuku watched as Mirai's eyes dilated and shifted. He released Sir's hand and took a deep breath.

"Midoriya-"

"Don't tell me," Izuku said, shaking his head. "I don't want you to tell me, and I know you don't want to tell me. I don't want you to tell me, because it doesn't matter what you see. I'm going to save Eri. I'm going to beat Chisaki. Every hero faces risks. That's what I signed up for.

Whatever fate awaits me, I'll smash right through it and forge my own future."

Sir brought his hands together and nodded, "As you wish." Izuku turned around and made his way to the door. "...Midoriya?"

Izuku turned around with his hand on the door knob, "Yes, Sir?"

"...You sound so much like Toshinori. You say you're not All Might? Well...prove to me that you can be better."

Izuku raised his scarred hand to Sir and clenched his fist, "Yes sir...pun intended."

As Midoriya left the room, he did something that he hadn't been able to do since he had met Sir.

He made him laugh.

…

Eri gazed around her room at all of the bright boxes filled with plastic and random colored animals she didn't know what were. Over the years, different scary people would give her them. She never wanted them.

It was funny how with all of the toys surrounding her, the only thing she could find comfort and interest in was an extremely small blinking disk. The kind man from the alley had slipped this under her sleeve and onto her shoulder. She didn't tell Chisaki about it, afraid it would get the green haired man hurt.

_"No matter what happens, I'll get you away from him." _

Those words. His kind touch when he carried her held her head. She had never experienced something so...nice, so...warm.

Eri slipped her hand under her sleeve and pulled the small disk out. She watched the small red light blink and emanate in her dark room. She didn't know why someone would want to help her. She was cursed, a monster. She gripped the disk to her chest with many questions circling her mind.

All she knew was that she wanted to see him again.

…

**(U.A. Hours Later)**

Aizawa's words to Izuku and his friends after the meeting still ran through his head. Earning his trust back? Why did he get the feeling that doing that would be even harder than saving Eri?

Izuku walked into Momo's room and found her slipping into a teal button up pajama set. She looked towards him and gave him a small smile, "Sorry, but I already showered."

Izuku chuckled and shook his head, "That's alright. We still have a bed."

Momo patted his cheek and kissed his temple. "I'm going downstairs for something to eat. Would you like to come along?"

Izuku opened his mouth to answer, but froze. "Uh...No thanks. You go on, I'm really not hungry."

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit."

She walked out of the room, and Izuku went back to looking at what had surprised him. Outside on the ledge of the balcony, lit up in the moonlight, was Nana.

Her back was to him as she sat on the edge looking out into the city. Izuku walked to the glass door and carefully slid open the door. He closed the glass door and stood there in silence.

"...Hey, Kid."

Her voice was soft and quiet. The complete opposite side of the spectrum from her usual bold and confident voice. "...Hi, Nana. H-How are you doing?"

"Hehehe. Kid…" She finally turned to face him. Her hair flowed in the breeze and the moonlight gave her an aura. Her wide smile was still adorned, but glistening rivers of tears flowed down her face. "...What do you think?"

Izuku sighed and put one leg over the ledge, hoisting himself up to sit by her side. "I'm so sor-"

"You gotta stop apologizing to me, Kid. You didn't do anything."

"I made you go looking for answers you didn't want."

"I'm alright, Izuku."

Izuku shook his head, "Nana you need to stop."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're doing everything you told me not to do. You're running from your problems. Just look at you. You told me that smiling no matter how much you're hurting is bullshit. What are you doing now?"

"There's a difference between you and me."

"And what's that?"

Nana pointed to her smile, "This is all I've ever known. I don't know how to do anything else."

Izuku looked out onto campus and sighed through his nose. "I used to think that too. Everyday of my life was just trying to smile through everything. But, I think I'm beginning to realize something. It's no way to live. The more you keep inside the more it burns and destroys you. I'm facing the consequences of it. I snapped and let it all out, and now those feelings are still trying to put themselves out inside. Now my feelings are in flux and unstable. I've always thought that heroes can't cry. But now...I see it's not a weakness. It's a reminder of who I am. It's a reminder that I'm Izuku Midoriya. I'm human. I can feel emotions besides determination, fury, and hope. And isn't the fact that I can show weakness, and yet still succeed more impressive than never showing weakness but destroying myself? Nana, you need to let go an-"

He turned to see Nana's smile completely crumble before his eyes. A heaving sob escaped her lips as her arms clutched inward at her chest. Izuku quickly brought his arms around her. He ignored the odd fuzzy feeling of touching somebody that technically wasn't there. He felt the sensation of tears hitting his shoulder, but there was no dampness.

Something that felt so real was fake.

It was ironically fitting.

"My baby is gone...He's gone."

"I know."

Nana's breakdown made Izuku think of his own mother. The pure devastation Nana was feeling was what Izuku would have put his own mom through if he had actually killed himself. It was another moment that made Izuku so happy to be alive.

It took time, but eventually Nana calmed down. She kept a hold on Izuku, not wanting to let go yet. "...Thank you."

Izuku nodded against her shoulder, "I should be thanking you. I wouldn't have figured any of this out if not for you."

"God Damnit, Kid you can't just take a single thank you or compliment, can you?"

"Sorry."

"And apologizi-...You know what? Who cares?"

She pulled away and looked Izuku in the eyes. "Izuku, you have to promise me something."

"What is it?"

"Save that little girl." Izuku could see a blaze return in her eyes. One child was too much. Two children's deaths was an abomination. But, a third child to die?

"I promise."

"And I'm going to help you. Tomorrow morning you're going to Gym Omega. We have one day to work on this."

"Work on what?"

Nana lifted up from the ledge and floated in the air, "You'll see. Be prepared to sweat your ass off."

Izuku's eyes widened, "Oh, u-uh speaking of which. Were you watching me yesterday? Like, around 6 in the evening to 2 in the morning?"

"No, I was there in the gym with you. But, I wasn't ready to talk yet. Why?"

"No reason! No reason at all!"

Nana rolled her eyes and chuckled, "You're such a strange kid, you know that?" She put a hand on his hand and ran it through his hair. "You're also something really special. Thank you...for everything. Let's kick Chisaki's ass."

And once again, she was gone.

Izuku could check that off his list of things to do. It was odd having a broken soul living inside of his body. But, he could feel himself inside being put back together. He felt strangely…

Lighter.

It would take time for Nana to fully heal, but he could help. At least, as much as he could for a mentally unstable teenager. Her heart was crushed, and her spirit was defeated. But, Eri...

If he could save the life of another child, he could save Nana, restore her.

It seemed that Eri became more important by the second. One child was the hope of so much. He needed to rescue her by any means necessary. At that moment, Izuku knew that if given the chance at any moment during the mission, he would save Eri. Even if it meant risking Aizawa's want to trust him again.

Was he scared? Yes. But, now he oddly accepted it. No, he welcomed it. For once it felt like fear didn't control him. It spurred him forth.

Although, some reassurance would be nice.

"Hehehehehehehehe! _Oh Muscles~!" _

Izuku looked down to the ground to see a completely soot covered Mei on the ground grinning like a maniac. "Hatsume? What are you doing here?"

"... They're ready."

**A/N: So, the real reason All Might is here is to 1.) Fix his relationship with Nighteye. 2.) Spur the relationship of Nighteye and Izuku. I also want to give more Mirio and Nighteye screentime together. Because, I actually have a problem with Sir in canon and his relationships. When he died...I kinda...didn't...give a shit. As an audience, we had absolutely zero time to get to know him and care about him and his relationship with Mirio. We see him, see small glimpses of past info we already know, he dies, Bing bang boom and moving on to the "Ya Like Jazz" portion of the season. He just feels lacking. I want to convey closeness with him and Mirio and even him and Izuku. I don't know. I'm trying folks. **

**Also, I'm going to be adding more chapters to my IzuJirou fic. Just in case anyone was interested.**


	55. Full Power

**A/N: ****Also, about Izuku's speed. If you think he's not that fast.**

**Fuck you. Yes he is.**

**(I'm kidding I love you guys...But he is.)**

Izuku jumped down from the balcony and landed next to Mei holding a case on the ground. "Are the gauntlets actually done!?"

"You better believe it! I spent every night on those babies." Izuku believed her. Not just because...Well, she's Mei. She would spend all night fixing a toaster if given the chance. But, also because she looked even more tired than usual. Her bouncy hair had pink strays flaring out everywhere, bags were under her eyes, and chocolate smears were all over her lips and gloves. "I may or may not have gotten some chocolate on 'em, but Muscles doesn't need to know that."

"...Hatsume, I'm right here."

"Hm? Did I say something?"

...Yeah, he definitely believed her. After he got the gauntlets he was going to make sure Mei got to bed without passing out on her dorm building's front lawn. "Hatsume, you have absolutely no idea how amazing your timing is."

He took the metal case from her and placed it on the ground. Izuku clicked open the box to reveal the Full Gauntlets in their vibrant red wristband form. Each one looked identical to the one he received on I-Island. The teen pulled them out of the box, put each on his wrist, and activated them. The familiar glowing blue engulfed the gear, and the wrappings extended out up his arms and fastened themselves.

"Hatsume, these are incredible! They're just like the one Melissa made me!"

"Like? You mean better! I used her nanotech shrinking technology to pack in even more impact absorption into the material. I added the same energy conduction tech that's in your legs, which also makes them stronger with your own power flowing through them. And it's made of a liquid titanium tri-weave with super charged poly-elastomers with hyperelastic behavior! The harder you hit, or the harder the gauntlets are hit, the stronger and more durable they become."

"I can't believe it! Thank you so mu-"

*_Bzzzt*_

Suddenly from the black touch screen across his knuckles emitted a small holographic image of a golden gear and with pink lettering on around it.

_Mei Machinery and Support Gear:_

_"I'll make all of your babies!"_

_ (Slogan Pending)_

Izuku raised a brow to Mei in question. She merely shrugged. "I worked day and night on these for you. The least I can get back is some free advertising. I invent, you represent."

"Hatsume, you've done so much an amazing job in such perfect timing that I would wear your face and phone number on the chest of my hero costume if you asked me to."

"Deal!"

Izuku's eyes widened, "I-It was a hyperbole."

Mei placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder, "Oh Muscles. You and I both know I'm too tired to understand what that word means. Or half of this conversation. Or reality! Speaking of which, did you know that if you don't sleep for too long that you start to hallucinate?"

"... Are you hallucinating right now?"

"I don't know, are we on Mars?"

"...N-No."

"Then yes."

Izuku gave a small smile and swooped up Mei bridal style. "Okay, let's get you to bed."

"Sleep gets in the way of inventing."

"So does psychosis from sleep deprivation. Now hold on." Izuku made sure Mei's head was pressed against his chest to keep it in place to prevent whiplash. Izuku, after being limited to 15% since Kamino, felt a giddiness in his chest as the warm flow of 30% coursed through his body with absolutely no pain.

Izuku shot off towards the 1-H dorms. If anyone who was looking out from their window blinked, they would have missed the green bolt streak past the U.A campus grounds at blinding speeds. A cone of air and heat pierced the space in front of Izuku as he ran. He skidded to a halt in front of the dorm building. Black skid marks burned onto the concrete where he slid.

"Hatsume, you've really outdone yourself this time."

"Zzzzzzzz…"

Izuku looked down to see Mei completely passed out. He shook his head and chuckled as he entered the dorms. After getting directions to her room and dropping the inventor off, the teen made his way back outside onto the moonlit campus grounds. Just as he was about to make his way back to his room, he paused. His eyes gazed down at his gauntlets.

...A test run would be nice.

...And it was 10 minutes until curfew.

A smile creeped it's way onto his face.

_*ZIP*_

In a moment's notice, he was gone and on the streets.

_10%_

Faster than a speeding car, Izuku rushed through the off roads heading away from the city streets. It would be better if he wasn't seen in the city and avoided any cars.

_20%_

At the beginning of his life, running was torture. It meant fear. It meant running to avoid getting hurt. It meant he would eventually not be able to run anymore and get hurt anyway. But, now he loved to run.

_30%_

Training with All Might gave him his first runner's high. The exhilarating feeling of blood pumping through his veins and the burning of his muscles flaring with every movement sounded terrible, but felt incredible. But now with One For All added into the mix, it was a whole new feeling. It was like his body was pure energy.

_40%_

Electricity sparked through his blood and muscle fibers. As the city disappeared behind him at breakneck speeds, he could feel his strength ride with his speed. With every step that pounded into the ground, he could feel the reverb of force echo into the ground and shake the earth. The crack of the sound barrier breaking behind him only excited him more.

_50%_

At that point, Izuku didn't even know where he was.

And he didn't give a damn.

Everything in his peripheral vision turned into nothing but blurred streaks. As he passed through a field, a bullet train could be seen in the distance traveling the same direction as Izuku. To the teen, the train looked to be sitting completely still.

_60%_

Looking back at his life, he had always thought he was cursed. After his diagnosis, happiness eluded him. It was strange to think now, he almost saw his quirklessness as a gift. If he wasn't quirkless, he never would have walked the path to meeting All Might. If he wasn't quirkless, All Might wouldn't have seen a piece of himself in Izuku. He wouldn't have gotten One For All. With the likelihood of getting his parent's quirks, he would have likely not made it into U.A. He wouldn't have met Momo. He wouldn't have met Uraraka, or Iida, or any of his friends. The life he had never would have come to fruition.

_70%_

What he believed to be the shackles on his life, keeping him in a living hell, was actually what gave him freedom.

...Freedom.

_80%_

Izuku believed he wasn't even visible to the human eye anymore like how All Might was at the USJ...Or maybe that was 20% ago. It didn't matter. The thought of being that fast made him push himself to go faster. He was free to do so. There was that word again. Free. It was the only way Izuku could describe how he felt. He was free to do it. He had earned his power, more than anyone else had earned theirs.

He fought, gave blood, sweat, and tears just to be where he was. He wasn't just born with a quirk. Izuku fought for and earned the quirk that was passed down to him.

He fought for his freedom to live the life he had always dreamed of.

_90%_

Izuku swerved around and looked back at Musutafu.

...Or the general direction of Musutafu. It was long gone at that point.

Izuku looked down and checked his phone.

9:57 p.m

He had 2 minutes to reach U.A before curfew. He gazed at his hand, and clenched his fist.

He was right. He earned One For All.

So why not make sure he knew how to use it, and put it to the test?

Izuku took a runner's position, and waited. Lights to his left caught his eye, making him turn. Far away, a giant city laid out along the horizon. The metropolis had some familiarity to him, but he couldn't pinpoint which city it was…

Until he saw Tokyo Tower.

_'I... I'm in Tokyo!? How far did I run!? How fast am I!?"_

9:58 p.m

He knew he had the ability to go at speeds unimaginable to most, but this was pushing it. Although, All Might moved so fast that he couldn't be seen. At least, for the most part. All Might took down the small-time villains and grabbed Aizawa in the blink of an eye. He had outpaced the Nomu, grabbed Bakugou, set him out of the way, and not a single person, even Bakugou, saw it happen. He had pulled Izuku, Tsu, and Mineta away from the fight before any of them even knew what had happened. Izuku only remembered standing near the villains, and then suddenly being far away with All Might in front of him.

And All Might was not only not in his prime anymore, but he was a massive mountain of muscle.

Izuku shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He would have to ask All Might about it the next day. He needed to get back to school. He once again took a runner's position, and waited for his time.

9:58…

9:59 p.m

_100%_

*BOOM*

The bang of the sound barrier obliterating echoed throughout the area. Izuku's senses heightened with his speed. There was absolutely no possible way he was visible to anyone. If One For All's energy wasn't protecting him, he was sure he would've burned up into a crumpling inferno. He could feel energy pouring out of his eyes. And for some reason his hair also felt electric. Izuku felt as if he left his body behind hundreds of meters ago.

The lights from Musutafu entered his vision. And then got closer, and closer, and before he knew it U.A was in sight. The wall around the campus was in his way, however.

Izuku leaped into the air, soaring above and over the wall. He closed his eyes and allowed the wind to flow past him. Up in the air like that, with his power flowing through him, a loving mother and a surrogate father at home, a girlfriend whom he loved with his entire being and she loved him back, amazing friends, Izuku felt like he could do anything.

He could save Eri. He could beat Chisaki.

Izuku felt the weight of his life he carried lift from his shoulders.

He felt lighter than air.

...In fact, he couldn't even feel the wind rushing past him anymore. Then, the wind suddenly began coming from below.

...Uh oh.

Izuku opened his eyes to see the roof of 1-A's dorm building coming dangerously close as he freefell through the air. He shot 10% through his body and landed safely. Izuku caught his breath and fell flat on his back against the roof. He pulled out his phone and checked the time.

9:59 p.m...10:00 p.m.

He made it.

Izuku dropped his arms back onto the roof and gazed up at the stars. Laughs of exhilaration escaped from him from time to time. Being able to fully feel the fruits of his labor meant everything to him.

He had never felt like he deserved anything. He still didn't. He knew he was one lucky bastard. But, he couldn't help but feel a small drop of pride in his heart.

There was one strange thing. With how he had jumped, he should've fell at an angle. But, he fell to the roof from a straight drop. It was like he had stopped midair.

But, before he could think on it any further, his phone buzzed.

_*Bzzt*_

He pulled out his phone to see a text from Momo.

_Momo: Where did you go?_

He quickly got up and ran back inside the building. As the door closed, the flowing of a white cape watched from above the roof. Nana smiled down from the sky.

"Not bad, Izuku."

…

Izuku opened the door to Momo's...Well, _their _room to find Momo already lying in bed reading. She looked up at him and tilted her head. "Oh, there you are. I came back and you were gone. I-..." Izuku watched her shocked gaze trail down to the Full Gauntlets.

"Hatsume showed up and gave me these. I couldn't resist trying them out again."

"Wow. She has really good timing."

"I know, right?"

Momo smiled at him, "I'm assuming they worked, because you look very happy."

Izuku deactivated the gauntlets and placed them on the nightstand. "Definitely. It felt amazing to use One For All to its fullest without any pain or broken bones. Hey, do you know how fast an object would have to be to go from here to Tokyo in under ten minutes?"

"Um... I'm not sure" Momo said. "That area isn't exactly my "off the top of my head" specialty." Her eyes suddenly widened "...Wait. Are you saying you went to Tokyo? Just now?"

Izuku had a splitting smile and nodded. "It was incredible. I wanted to test out my gauntlets, and the next thing I knew I could see Tokyo in the distance." Izuku sat down on the bed and shook his head in amazement. He felt good. Outstanding in fact.

"Easy, Izuku. I think you're getting a power rush."

"Sorry, sorry I...I-It just felt really good to finally not hold back like that. For myself, that is. I'm still going to hold back against people, of course. I don't wanna kill anybody."

He felt a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. "I understand. You've felt like a glass cannon for so long."

"And I felt like just glass before I got my quirk. I'm going to take you for a run sometime, show you what it's like. I can take us to far away and exotic places for dates."

"That sounds lovely. But, I think you should use that new power to save Eri first," Momo chuckled.

Izuku nodded, the weight from before returning. He had a job to do. And now, with his new gear, he wouldn't fail. Especially if Nana really had something special planned for the next day.

Which he then realized that he would likely need lots of rest for.

...Buuuut he still was full of energy, and he felt great about himself, which was still a really new feeling. There was no way he was going to be able to sleep with that energy. Unless...

"Hey Momo?"

"Hm?"

"...Do you wanna have sex again?"

"...Very much so." Izuku swiveled around and attached his lips to hers, lifting her up and climbing up into bed.

…

(The Next Morning)

_'Hmm...I'm not exactly physically here, but he can feel me. Can I hurt him?"_

_*Slap*_

Izuku suddenly shot up straight from the covers holding his cheek. "Ow! What the-! OW! What was that for!?"

"Time for training, Pipsqueak."

Izuku furrowed his brow and looked out his window, the moon still in the sky. The alarm clock read 4:11 a.m. "Really? Even All Might and Gran Torino didn't start training this early."

"Do I look like those two?"

"...N-No."

"Then get up. We have to be up early. It gives us plenty of time before school starts, and we have until tomorrow to get this right." Izuku sighed, but nodded. He grabbed the covers to pull them away. "Woah! Before you do that, let me vanish. I'd rather see you with clothing."

Izuku's eyes widened as he remembered the previous night's events. He turned around to see the bare back of his girlfriend from under the covers. "U-Uh…"

"It looks like you already got a good warm-up."

"I'm just surprised she hasn't woken up."

"I have." Both sets of eyes looked to Momo as she kept the blankets over her chest and rolled over to face her partner and his ghost with tired eyes. "I'm simply far too tired, and I'm assuming you talking to yourself is actually Shimura. And I would much rather have our first official meeting to have me not be naked." She kissed Izuku's cheek, and rolled back over. "Now put on some pants and go do what she wants."

Nana smirked, "I thought she was the elegant one?"

"Being tired changes a person. Speaking of which, I'm going to have to get permission from Mr. Aizawa to go to the gym. I really don't want to be the one to wake him up."

…

(Gym Gamma)

"You know I'm going to tell everybody, right?"

(15 Minutes Ago)

_*Knock* *Knock*_

_*Creak*_

"Problem Child, it is four in the morning. What the hell do you want?"

"I-I'm really sorry to wake you up this early Mr. Aizawa, but I...I…" Both looked down at the teacher's pajama shirt to see a bright yellow and baby blue cat shirt.

"...I'm not ashamed. Out with it."

"U-Uh...I couldn't sleep, and I just got new gear from the Support Course. I was wondering if I could get access to the gyms to try them out."

"As long as you promise to never speak a word about my shirt to anyone."

"I thought you said you weren't ashame-"

"PROMISE ME!"

Izuku flinched away, "I-I promise!"

_*Slam*_

(Present)

Izuku turned to Nana, "You're technically not even alive. Who exactly are you going to tell?"

"Don't you sass me. It's training time." Izuku had never been in Gym Omega before. It looked like it was meant to be utilized for combat training, mainly hand to hand. The entirety of the floor was covered in black padded mats. Weights, punching bags, benches, protective gear, and other boxing and fighting equipment were lined up in every corner.

The large room was sectioned off into four squares, each one consisting of a fighting octagon with thick glass and a metal shell around it. Likely to protect the outside from quirk usage.

But, what surprised Izuku the most was the ceiling was completely covered in battle training bots hanging from the ceiling. "Woah."

"Yep. Toshinori always went to this gym. He cost U.A a fortune in robots." Izuku figured that Gym Omega was old. The teachers never mentioned it, and the bots up top looked like older models. "So, what exactly do you think we're here to do?"

Izuku immediately lit up, "Are you going to teach me how to use your quirk!?"

"Great idea! Too bad I can't do that."

"What? Why not?"

"We don't give you our quirks willingly. If we could, we would have given our quirks already. They only come from a desire."

"...But I _really _desire your quirk."

"Doesn't work like that."

"It never does with One For All, does it."

Nana smirked, "Now you're catching on. We're here to take advantage of what you have over Chisaki. Tell me, have you ever heard the phrase, "Eyes in the back of your head"?"

"Yeah, wh-?"

"There's a bee on your shoulder." Looked to his left and saw the bug, quickly reacting and jumping back while brushing his shoulder. "You're about to trip on that dumbbell." Izuku looked down and lifted his foot, just barely missing the weight. "Duck." At her command, Izuku ducked down as he was backing up. His head grazed under a speed bag.

Izuku stopped himself and took a breath. "Wow, than-...What just happened?"

"Everyone's sight is limited...Except when you have the ghost connected to your very being. Everything you can't see, I can. I'm your second pair of eyes. Now drop those robots to the ground and get in the ring. We have work to do."

…

(7:43 a.m)

"Uh, Yaomomo? What are you doing?"

"Reading."

Mina pursed her lips as she gazed at her friends from across the cafeteria table, her spoonful of cereal dropping back into her bowl. "I can see that. I mean, _what _are you reading? Is that a comic book?"

"Izuku has quite the collection. This is actually a part of my training. Fatgum couldn't help me with my fat storage or anything of the sort. My diet doesn't require any changes. But, he did tell me that I should be more creative. Creativity not only makes me more unpredictable in a fight, but it boosts flashiness. People enjoy more interesting things than just cannons and flashbangs. I believe that these graphic novels might bring me some ideas," Momo responded, taking a sip of her tea.

For a hero with the name "Creati", Momo found it ironic when she realized that she wasn't very creative. Sure, she could come up with a wide range of different items on the fly for any given situation. That was a given. But, she never thought about how to apply all of those things or materials in different ways. Her body was a literal walking 3D printer that's only restriction was that whatever she made couldn't be alive.

The amount of things she could create was unimaginable.

Yet, she always seemed to swerve back to a cannon, sword, staff, the occasional explosive, fire, and she used a gun twice.

...Not exactly eye catching.

She had spent so much time focusing on the practicality of being a hero that she forgot flashiness was a part of the job. It wasn't that polls and rank were everything. All that mattered in the end was that she saved everyone she could and stopped the villain.

However, being well received and appealing to the public eye was still part of the job. She couldn't just ignore it.

She couldn't help but feel a slight annoyance when she realized that she wouldn't have to work hard to appeal to the heterosexual male populice or the homosexual female populice.

She couldn't do anything about that one.

But, her quirk was another perfect example of being not only flashy, but efficient. She just had to expand her way of thinking. She might've found solace in learning that she was Izuku's hero, but she almost felt like it didn't count.

...That sounded bad.

She was honored that Izuku felt that way, and she felt the same about him. She couldn't even fathom how happy it made her to hear Izuku say those words.

But she still needed to prove herself out in the field.

"Speaking of that hunk of adorable man," Mina said, completely ignoring the slight glare Momo was giving her from above the brim of her book. "Where is he? Shouldn't he be attached to your hip, as usual? Or did you "tire him out" last night?"

"Mina…" Momo warned. "Izuku actually had trouble sleeping this morning. He went out to train. I hope he gets back soon, we have to head to class in a bit." Momo took another drink of tea, but saw Mina giving her a devilish look from across the table. "...What?"

"How would you know that Midori had trouble sleeping?"

"He messaged me."

"Oh come on! I was the one that convinced-"

"Bribed."

"_Convinced _Mr. Aizawa to put you two on the same floor. You can tell me."

Momo almost laughed, "I would rather not have Izuku and I's sleeping arrangements gossiped about to the rest of the school." Momo loved Mina, but she spread information faster than the internet. Mina rolled her eyes and was about to push further, but Izuku walked through the cafeteria doors. Momo smiled, but then donned a look of confusion. As Izuku walked through the cafeteria, he looked...on edge.

Izuku was tying his tie, not even looking at anybody, and he was bobbing and weaving left and right. He avoided every person in his way. "Look out for that puddle, Kaminari."

The blonde, who was carrying his tray to the trash, looked down and immediately stopped. Izuku was right; there was a puddle just inches from Kaminari's feet. "Uh...thanks, Dude."

Tetsutetsu was telling a story to his friends at his table with wild expressions, his arms moving around as he spoke. His arm swung to the side and hit his glass of water. Izuku quickly grabbed it and placed it back onto the table without even looking. Izuku finally walked past Kyouka and Ochako sitting next to each other at a different lunch table. "You guys don't have to hold hands under the table. We all already know." The girls instantly went red and furrowed their brows in confusion as Izuku had never even looked in their direction.

The teen finally sat down next to Momo, giving his tie it's final pull. "Good Morning."

Mina and Momo both looked at one another, and then back at Izuku. His girlfriend looked at him in disbelief. "...W-...What was that?"

"What was what?"

Mina waved her arms at the cafeteria, "All of that! Everything you just did!"

Izuku shrugged, "I was just trying to help."

Momo shook her head and grabbed his tie, "You can do all of that, yet you still can't make your tie properly."

Nana floated above the two, "She's got a point."

Izuku blushed a bit, "Why would I learn how to do it properly? It's just another excuse to get you close."

"You can't smooth talk me out of everything, Izuku."

"I-Is it working this time?"

"...Just let me fix it." Izuku smiled a little. He was improving at his couples banter. Momo muttered under her breath so only Izuku could hear. "_We make love one time and now you think you're Romeo."_

Izuku raised two fingers, "Twice." Both began laughing to themselves as Momo continued to fix his tie. Mina smiled at them from across the table.

"You two are so cute."

Nana raised her hand, "I second this."

Momo readjusted Izuku's tie, but paused for a moment. Izuku looked up to see her looking past him. He turned around to see one of the mounted televisions on the news.

_"Freak rain randomly occured in Tokyo last night. Clear to dark skies in mere seconds."_

Izuku furrowed his brow in confusion. When he was there last night it was totally clear. He could see the stars and Moon perfectly. Momo tugged his sleeve to get his attention. She whispered, "Was that you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, All Might could cause storms, right?" Izuku's eyes widened. It was true. He had read stories of All Might in his Golden Age causing windstorms just by breaking out into a sprint.

_'Was...Was that me?'_

…

"What the fuck was that?" Katsuki gazed across the cafeteria at Izuku. His former friend had dodged his way through the cafeteria, grabbing things and helping people without even looking.

Ejirou shook his head in amazement in the seat from across from him. "I got no clue. Midoriya has always had that sort of focus about him. Everyday he just keeps getting better. He's one manly dude."

"Grr." Katsuki jabbed his fork into his eggs and ate viciously.

Kirishima rolled his eyes and dropped his utensil. "Okay, we're moving learning names back on the list. First lesson is jealousy."

"What!? I'm ain't fucking jealous!"

"..."

"..." Bakugou bit into the sleeve of his jacket, and muffled a frustrated scream. "...Fine."

"Look, wanting to be the best isn't a bad thing. It's really not. It's what we're all here for. However, you take a lot of...Okay ALL of the aspects in the wrong way."

Katsuki took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. There really was no denying anything at that point. He had essentially already said he was jealous and angry to Midoriya during their fight. It was all about acceptance, right? "Explain...Please."

A smile graced Ejirou's face, "What was that last part?"

"Don't do this to me right now. You know how difficult this is for me." Kirishima raised his hands in defeat, not pushing any further. He knew Katsuki truly was trying his damndest, and mocking him wasn't going to help. Although, the red-head had to remember to add "Learn to take a joke" to the list.

"Look, having pride in yourself is fine. It's good to be confident. Your strength and desire to go further is something I and I'm sure a lot of people admire about you."

"Don't tell me people admire me. I shouldn't hear that."

"Fair enough. But, you should also have pride in others. When someone surpasses you in something, you just have to work hard to be better. You don't get mad and cuss at them, yell at them to die…" Katsuki grimaced at that. "...and you definitely don't fight them in the dead of night past curfew to try and massage your ego." Katsuki grit his teeth and gripped his fork hard. "You see that? That anger isn't focused on someone else. It's anger at yourself for making mistakes. And now instead of using that anger on someone else, you can harness that anger into bettering yourself. Anger isn't the first option, but you're you. No anger isn't an option. So you use it in the right way. Not for jealousy, but for self-improvement. For instance, remember that video game we played the other day?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I beat your high score."

"You motherfucker! You think you're better than me or something?! I'll fucking kill y-..." Katsuki furrowed his brow and sat back down. "God-damn it."

"We'll get there, Bakubro. We'll get there."

…

(After Class)

Izuku once again stood in one of the large octagons in Gym Omega, this time with a blindfold on. His Full Gauntlets still in their wristband form as Izuku only sat at a comfortable 10%. Three training bots moved around the teen, all combat ready. Nana floated above the ring, giving commands. "Block left!" Izuku's arm shot up, one of the bots training arms connecting with his own. "Down and roll right!" Izuku ducked down, dodging one another attack. Then he rolled to the side, avoiding a slam from another bot. "In the air!" Izuku leaped up above the bots as all of them attacked at once. "Take them out." Izuku fell back down to the ground, smashing his fists against the floor. Power sparked off of his body, passing through and destroying his metal opponents. Nana smiled from above, "I knew you were a fast learner, but this is still surprising."

Izuku took off his blindfold and smiled back. Before he could respond, a pair of footsteps could be heard approaching the ring. "That was some pretty intense stuff my boy." The teen and his "ghost" turned to see Toshinori through the glass window approaching the ring. "Blindfolded too? What exactly are you doing?"

Izuku stepped out of the octagon and walked up to the former pro. "All Might? What are you doing here? I thought you were staying at Nighteye's agency until the case was over."

"I figured I should spend the day before the raid back home...Not that I'm fighting or anything. But, I haven't been here for days. I-...Hey, are those…?" All Might paused as he pointed down at the Full Gauntlets on Izuku's wrists.

"Oh yeah! Hatsume finished them last night. They're even more durable than before."

"And have you tested them out?"

Izuku nodded, "I did last night."

Toshinori pursed his lips, "So, you've seen just how powerful you are now? And the potential for how even more powerful you can become?"

"Yeah I-I guess in my head I never really thought about it before but...I have your power. I have the strength of All Might!"

Even if it was unknown to Toshinori, he and Nana made the same look of worry. "Uh, well…"

"I know. I know. It's my own power, not anyone else's."

"Okay, good."

"But, still. You passed down this power to me to make my own. I know I'm just stating the obvious, but sometimes I forget I'm not the same quirkless kid I was over a year ago. With these gauntlets I can finally go all out if I need to. I can do so much more and…" Izuku paused as he looked at the hesitant face of his mentor. "...and you don't seem happy."

Toshinori put his hand on his hips and grinded his teeth in thought. "No, it's not that I'm not happy that you have them. Believe me, i'm ecstatic that you won't break your bones anytime soon. In fact, just don't go anywhere without them...But…"

"But what?"

"I think it's kind of...a crutch."

Izuku furrowed his brow in contemplation. "Well, I mean...I can't use my full power without them."

"Yes, but if you always use them your body will never be able to handle 100% on its own. You've made such good progress this year. But this is like a cheat code in a video game. It gives you everything you want, but it doesn't save your progression. Once you take them off, or if they're destroyed, you'll be right back here."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head and shifted on his feet. "I-I didn't think about it like that."

"Young Izuku, I understand that this power is addicting. You've been closed off from all of your power for so long, and just as you get it all I tell you to limit yourself again. I'm not going to ask you to do that. Not entirely at least. Perhaps you can only use them for emergencies...Except tomorrow. Tomorrow, kick Chisaki's ass." Izuku nodded and looked down at his gauntlets. He was so happy to have finally been able to feel like he could do anything. But, All Might was right. He was essentially skipping steps. He trained his heart out for ten months just to be able to use 5%. He couldn't stop now.

It would just be a little disappointing going back to being Izuku instead of Deku.

Toshinori put his hand on Izuku 's head. "I understand your hesitation. But, just imagine the day when you can use 100% without those gauntlets. Imagine the day you're stronger than I could have ever hoped to be."

Izuku gave a proud smile, "I'll make it there. I promise."

"Good. Now c'mon. You, Yaoyorozu, and I should go visit your mother before we possibly die tomorrow. I th-...Brrr." Toshinori suddenly shook through a cold chill. "Sorry about that. I'm not sure where that came from." Izuku turned to see Nana putting a hand on Toshinori's shoulder. She kept it there for a few seconds before turning away.

"Uh...All Might, I need to clean up the mess I left in the ring. Just give me a minute."

"Oh, of course. I'll help."

"Oh no, I'm fine. It'll only be a minute." Izuku jogged into the octagon and began picking up metal parts, and looked to Nana only a few feet away. In a low voice, he said, "You can talk to him you know? I can say everything you're saying. Or we could find some other way."

Nana shook her head, "Not yet. But it needs to happen. Just give me a little bit more time. I just got over one emotionally draining moment."

"I understand."

"Left leg lift." Izuku quickly lifted his leg and prevented himself from slipping on a ripped wire from one of the bots. Nana laughed, "I almost feel sorry for Chisaki...Almost." And with that, she was gone. Izuku quickly finished cleaning up and made his way to the door where All Might was waiting.

"Alright, let's go." All Might opened the door for the two to leave.

"Going somewhere?"

Both inheritors were surprised to see Aizawa outside the door. "Aizawa?/Mr. Aizawa?"

"I'm just as surprised to see you here as you are to see me. I didn't think this gym was used anymore. We had an upgraded version added years ago. We forgot to tear this one down."

Izuku walked forward with curiosity on his face. "Is there something wrong? Is it Eri!?"

"No, calm down. Although, it does relate to tomorrow. I'm here about those. " Shouta pointed to Izuku's wrists at the Full Gauntlets. "I was talking to Power Loader today, and he told me that you just received a new upgrade to your gear. Something from overseas and more high-tech then most of the things the workshop has ever produced. And if I remember correctly, you wore something from your trip to I-Island that helped contain your power. If I remember correctly, Kaminari said you were "On par with All Might". And as much as I tend to find Kaminari's answers to literally anything unreliable, no one, including you, denied him. He apparently fought alongside you, All Might. Is any of that true?"

Toshinori gave a bright smile and put a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Young Midoriya and I put Wolfram down for the count. He gave this old man a run for his money when it came to packing a punch."

Shouta looked to Izuku with curious eyes. "...Show me."

"Wh-What?"

"If this is true, then the odds of success tomorrow change drastically. Show me."

Izuku took a deep breath and steeled himself. He tapped onto the Full Gauntlets, the red wrappings activating and weaving up his arms with a blue glow. Once fully on, Izuku lit up his body in 100%. Lightning and energy sparked all around. He put himself into a runner's position and-

"Woah! Wait a minute! Stop!" Both teacher and student turned to All Might in a panic. "We should take this somewhere a lot safer. With no people around...or buildings...or public property."

Aizawa raised a brow, "Any suggestions?"

All Might nodded, "I had a place for my training when I became too destructive for the gyms here. Let's go."

…

(20 Minutes Later)

Toshinori closed his truck door as he took in a breath of fresh air. "Welcome to the Yavin-4 Airspace Hangar."

Aizawa looked around at the 90 meter wide abandoned hangar with a full size plane runway. It was a decent way outside of the city, completely surrounded by forest. "Abandoned? How the hell has this place not been torn down or bought?"

"Because I own it."

Izuku turned to his mentor, "You bought this place? How!?"

"I was a hero to save people with a smile on my face to make people feel okay and to make sure everyone can live their lives in peace...but the Number One Hero money didn't go unappreciated. This was where I went to test out how much I had to improve. Even going for a run was dangerous toy classmates."

Aizawa nodded, "Alright, let's not waste anymore time. Problem Child, have at it."

Izuku jogged out into the middle of the runway, stretching out his limbs. Toshinori nodded his head back towards his truck. "We might wanna stand back." Aizawa turned to see Izuku go into his runner's position with his hair beginning to flicker an electric green. The cat-lover took that as a sign and began back-stepping. Toshinori pulled out four small foam cylinders, and put two in his ears. "You're also going to want these."

Izuku breathed in deep, and focused at the end point of the runway. His muscles flexed, and he pushed his foot off of the ground.

_'Full Cowl: 100%!'_

_*BOOM*_

Once again, the sound barrier broke. A whirlwind of air flurried around the area as the two adults just barely managed to stay on the ground. Just as his toe hit the edge of the runway, Izuku leaped into the sky heading above the clouds.

"SMAAAASH!"

The teen thrusted his fist forward, an enormous cyclone of air rocketed out into the sky. It all swirled around, clashing with the dense clouds and bringing them together. Once again, Izuku felt like air. His mind telling him he could do anything in his current state. He finally felt the wind coming from below, signifying his descent. Izuku fell down to the ground, landing safely on his feet.

He quickly zipped back over to his teachers. "So, how was that?"

Aizawa's long hair was splayed backwards as it was blow-dried by the wind. All Might took out his earplugs and pressed his lips together. "How high did you jump? You were up there for nearly a minute."

"Oh, I-I don't know. I-"

_*Bloop*_

A drop of water suddenly fell on Izuku's nose. They all looked up to see gray clouds above them, rain beginning to fall. Aizawa blinked up at the clouds in disbelief.

"...Call Sir Nighteye. We need to go over the plan again."

…

(Later That Night)

"Hey Hatsume?"

Mei turned around at her workbench to see Izuku walk through the door. "Muscles, not that I don't love working on my favorite client's gear, but I swear if you broke the gauntlets again…"

"Nonono! Not that! They're fine. Great actually! I'm actually here for something else." Mei raised an eyebrow to him. "D-Do you think you could add just one more small little thing to my costume?"

"... I'm listening."

…

Himiko sat on a sofa in the Yakuza base with Twice on the other. She twirled her knife against her index finger, looking up at the ceiling. Suddenly, a devious, toothy smile adorned her face. "Hey Jin?"

"Hm?"

"...Wanna fuck with the Yakuza?"

"No. HELL YEAH!"

**A/N: Okay, here's the thing about Izuku's speed. To anyone that follows the stupid "All Might can run 500km in 30 seconds" as his max. That's bullshit.**

**Utter bullshit.**

**Does everyone forget that All Might (and now Izuku in the Overhaul fight) MOVED FASTER THAN THE HUMAN EYE COULD SEE! THEY LITERALLY BECAME INVISIBLE! **

**With Izuku, you didn't even see him jump forward. He FUCKING FADED.**

**First of all, that would usually take lightspeed level beings. But, I know they aren't lightspeed. Although, it is possible for an object to move so fast the brain can't process it at around 38,000 miles an hour. That's just in specific circumstance. But this is anime logic.**

**Also, you tell me Izuku during the Wolfram fight wasn't ungodly speeds. Not to mention All Might and Nomu moved so fast that everyone else was standing still and couldn't see what happened. Actually, All Might was FASTER in that scene saying he outran Nomu. He also dodged explosions that were already set off. He also took down a bunch of villains before they could hit the ground or process what had happened. And then grabbed Aizawa, Izuku, Tsu, and Mineta (WHO WERE ALL IN DIFFERENT SPOTS) before they even knew what happened.**

**...BROKEN.**

**I know combat speed is different from travel speed. But none of that was combat speed. That was all travel. **

**AND! It was stated that All Might running at 100% caused storms along with his punches! (Windstorms, granted. But those still lead to the bigger thing) That takes a ridiculous amount of force.**

**I know someone will try and combat this with other statements and stuff, but honestly I think I'm actually low-balling Izuku's max speed here. **

**I'm not even going to go into the amount of strength it takes to cause tornadoes and change the weather**.


	56. The Raid (Part One)

**A/N: Sorry about that wait. I got really busy as I am an essential worker, so I was still at my job during the crisis. But, due to the virus they're allowing anyone time off for Self Quarantine. So I'm off for now. Also my power went out due to a nasty storm, so they set me back a bit. But, I'm here now for the raid to begin.**

**Quick side note, to any of you MomoJirou shippers out there (Me included) Anyone else notice how Kyouka's mom (Mika) is literally just a mix of Kyouka and Momo?**

**(The Day Before the Raid)**

Sir Nighteye sat at his bathroom sink brushing his teeth. The raid was coming at a blinding speed and the weight of the situation kept increasing as it approached. Midoriya's words from the previous day were still running through his head. Mirai simply couldn't tell if Izuku's adamance that he could change the future was true belief or strong stubbornness.

Perhaps both.

But, to be so determined and strong-willed to be able to pull through fights and hard struggles vastly differed from defying fate itself. One simply cannot do that. The will of the universe was simply undefiable.

Although...he didn't exactly know that. He was just _pretty sure_. But, "pretty sure" also meant "could possibly be proven wrong". Perhaps it was time to take the benefit of the doubt. Mirai shook his head as he rinsed off his toothbrush, placing a hand on each side of the sink. Sometimes he felt his power was a curse. It was great for knowledge of a certain category, but it horrified him the rest of the time.

Watching people die…

Watching a future he can't do anything about…

What was the point of seeing the future if he couldn't do anything to change it? What was the point of having knowledge that he couldn't share with anyone without hurting them? Sir sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had spent so long admiring All Might and yet it seemed that Izuku picked up on something that he hadn't.

Sir had no hope.

To him, everything was so logical. Something that his parents had burned into his brain. Hope was something that destroyed all points in logic. Sir saw a future and thought there was no way to change it. All Might and Izuku see a future, and they have faith in themselves and the ones around them to be able to defy fate. No matter the struggles, they always had the strength to look towards a bright light and see a better tomorrow.

It was a philosophy that Sir thought was important, but he left the job to All Might.

Maybe it was time to face down probability with will.

Mirai slowly removed his glasses, placing them down on the edge of the sink. He took a deep breath, and looked at himself in the mirror. He made eye contact with his reflection, his irises shifting and changing color as his quirk activated. After a minute, Mirai let out the breath he had been holding and back away from the mirror.

"Hmm...I guess we'll see about that."

…

**(The Day of the Raid)**

Izuku looked down at his costume inside of its metal case and took a deep breath. The time for the raid had come. He was a mix of nervous and determined.

...Kinda like most of the time.

Momo walked into the bedroom carrying her case. "...Ready?"

Izuku closed the metal suitcase holding his costume and turned to Momo. "Ready." He stood up and the two made it down the stairs and to the command area where Ejirou, Ochako, Tsu, and Kyouka were waiting for them. The Big Three had already left for the Nighteye Agency, which left the first years behind.

Momo received everyone's attention, "Is everyone ready for this?"

Kyouka scoffed, "Define ready."

"Are you ready to go save a child from a villain who can kill you in a single touch?"

"...Wow. Didn't think you'd take that so literally. Well, I think I speak for everyone here when I say we're not backing down." The group picked up their cases and made their way out the door.

"Hey!" Kirishima, being the last one to leave, turned around to see Katsuki leaning against a wall across the room from him. "If you die I'm going to fucking kill you."

"...Uh-"

"I know what I said!"

Ejirou raised his hands in defense. "Got it! Got it! You need me, I understand."

"Hey! I never-"

"Oh no. You don't have to say another word Bakubro. I know you can't live without your best friend."

"Just fucking go!"

Ejirou back out of the room knowing he was pushing Katsuki's limit. He caught back up to the group and they all made their way towards the train station.

**(10 Minutes Later)**

Eventually they reached their destination and boarded their train. As the group sat down together, Kirishima looked around and chuckled. "Would you look at that? We're on a train ride heading towards a dangerous mission to infiltrate a villain's lair to save someone, and it's actually legal this time."

Izuku and Momo gave a chuckle at the joke, realizing how familiar the situation was. Momo shook her head, "We tend to attract these sort of bad situations, don't we?"

Izuku raised his hand, "Actually, it might just be me."

The group chuckled, and then once again settled back into a comfortable silence. Kirishima looked up from his phone to see Momo leaning into Izuku with his arm around her waist, and a similar situation with Kyouka and Ochako holding hands.

He turned to Tsu, "...Wow. I think we're the world's first fifth wheels."

Tsu smiled, "We're going to have to get used to it. If we make it out alive, perhaps we should find relationships for ourselves." Everyone paused as Tsu's regular bluntness. Izuku felt Momo's hand suddenly grip his tighter.

"Aw c'mon, Tsu. Don't say that. I'm sure everything will be fine," Ochako said, her voice a little shaky.

"No, she's right," Izuku said looking down at his lap. "Not that I don't think we won't win. But, there's always a chance. I-I've actually been meaning to tell you guys something. M-Momo obviously knows already, but I just wanted to say how much you guys actually mean to me." Momo was shocked to see Izuku suddenly want to have a heart to heart with anybody but those in his closest proximity of trust like her, Inko, or All Might (and to an extent Bakugou). "I-I know I don't really talk about myself a lot, but I've been thinking a lot recently that I shouldn't lie about or hide how I feel about things. S-So, I just wanted to say you guys are some of the best things to ever happen to me. And if they were here, the same would go for Iida and Todoroki. I-I just wanted to say that just in case something happened."

Izuku rubbed his arm with a slight blush. His out of character speech surprised his friends, but it didn't lessen what it meant to them in the slightest. Kirishima felt even more appreciated as a friend due to his (limited) newfound knowledge of Izuku's past. To know that someone as closed off as Izuku saw Eijirou as someone so important to him made the redhead feel good.

The unbreakable hero spoke out, "I think I speak for all of us when I say we feel the same about you Midoribro."

Ochako chimed in, "You're an inspiration to us, Deku. We care about you, too!"

"I might be new to the Dekusquad, but I'm really happy to be a part of it," Kyouka said.

Tsu smiled and said, "We all-"

"Hold on," Izuku interrupted and turned to Kyouka. "The what?"

Ochako blushed, "That may or may not be the name I gave our friend group."

"...Why?"

"Because Mina called Bakugou's friend group the Bakusquad and you guys are opposites so…"

"...Uh...S-Sure, I guess."

Momo leaned over to Izuku and whispered, "_Do we really have to call ourselves that?_" Izuku shook his head quietly, not wanting to make Ochako feel bad. She continued to whisper, "_Where did that all come from?_"

Izuku shrugged, "_I guess I realized that you're not the only one I should be honest to." _Soon the train came to a stop, and the group of friends walked out and made their way towards the agency.

…

**(Nighteye's Agency)**

"Yo!" Sir looked up from his desk to see Mirio walk in carrying a small cup holder tray of coffee. "I know that you probably didn't sleep much last night, so I figured you would need this." He placed the paper cup down on the desk in front of his mentor.

"Is it-"

"Completely chock full of sugar and sweetner? Yep."

Sir let out a sigh as he took a sip, "Thank you. Are you ready, Togata?"

"You bet I am! Those Yakuza don't stand a chance!" The blonde began flicking his arms back and forth in Nighteye's office, the raid only hours away. Sir smiled at his young protegé's commitment to the mission. He felt the question he had asked was pointless. Mirio was always ready to face down evil.

"Togata, I need you to listen to me."

Sir sounded serious (more than usual), so Mirio stopped his antics and turned to his mentor. "What is it?"

"Watch over Midoriya today. Some recent developments have changed his role in our mission. As of now, he's the strongest hero we have. Combining that with the fact that he's more determined than anybody to save Eri, his confrontation with Chisaki is inevitable. Their paths are going to cross no matter what we do. Eraserhead knows he won't be able to hold Midoriya back for long. If the opportunity to get to Eri arrives, he's going to take it. Stick with him. Watch his back."

Mirio opened his eyes wide with surprise. "Oh, well of course. I woulda done that anyway. Midoriya and I already talked about saving Eri. We're a team in this!"

Sir gave a small smile and sigh, "Of course you were already going to. It's just who you are."

Mirio lifted a brow, "You okay, Sir?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine. I'm just a little scared for you kids is all."

"Hey." Mirio placed a hand on Mirai's shoulder. "We'll make it. We're going to win."

"Every victory comes at a price."

"That's not very optimistic! Where's that smile?" He received no response from his mentor. Mirio's hand very slowly raised up to Sir's face and spread his lips into a smile. "There we go."

He grabbed Mirio's wrist and took the teens hand off of his face. "Togata, Chisaki is one of the most dangerous men on the planet. He-"

"Sir, we've got this. Just trust us. I gotta go get suited up, I'll see you downstai-"

"Mirio…" The blonde stopped at the use of his first name and turned back to his mentor. Mirai placed his hands on his protoge's shoulders, "These people will not hesitate to kill you. Chisaki will most likely be the one with Eri. This isn't some low-life thug or mugger. He-"

"Sir, I know. We all know. One touch equals death."

"No, Mirio. You don-"

"Sir…" The blonde grabbed Nighteye's wrist and looked him in the eyes. "What's gotten into you?"

"...I just don't know what I'd do if you or any of the other kids died on this mission. I'm allowing you all to be here. Your blood will be on my hands, and I can't live with that. I know how devoted you are, and I know you'll make any sacrifice to save Eri. Just understand that I'll make the same sacrifices for you if the need arises." He placed a hand on Mirio's head, ruffling his hair. "Now go. Your green partner in crime will be here soon." Mirio began walking away while fixing his hair.

That was...strange. Sir had always been cautious, but he had never given him a speech like that. Mirai also seemed different. There was a gleam in his eye that Mirio had never seen in his mentor before. _'Sacrifices, huh? Well, right back at you Sir.'_

…

The metal guards on Izuku's legs clicked into place and his Full Gauntlets, still in their wristband form, were on and ready to be activated whenever he needed them. Izuku stood in the room he had stayed in during the first days of the investigation as he assembled his costume. "You ready to rumble, Small Pint?"

Izuku turned to face Nana who had appeared near the front door. "Almost. I just need to put on one more thing." Izuku looked back to his suitcase and pulled out his final item.

Hatsume truly was a fast worker.

…

**(Last Night)**

Hatsuem lifted a brow, "Hm...I didn't think capes were your style."

"It's not a cape...Well, it's a waist cape. It belonged to a hero from a long time ago. She's one of my favorites, and she's taught me a lot. I really want to pay homage to her like how my cowl is an homage to All Might."

"What about your belt?"

"I was wondering if you could just attach the cape to my belt. You know, keep the pockets and everything. Except the belt buckle, I want that changed."

Hatsume nodded at the sketch, "I'll make it happen, Muscles."

"U-Uh...Do you think you could get it done by tomorrow morning?"

Hatsume blinked a couple times, picked up the mug of hot cocoa that was sitting on her workbench, downed the whole thing in one big swig, cracked her knuckles, and put her goggles on. "Give me a few hours."

**(2 Hours Later: Back at the Dorms)**

Izuku yawned as he crawled into bed next to Momo, wrapping his arms around her. He had left Hatsume to her work, not wanting to interrupt her. He had complete faith that she would be done by morni-

_*Slam*_

The door suddenly burst open with Mei basking in the hallway light. "FINISHED!~"

**(Present)**

Izuku fastened his belt, the red cloth falling around his ankles. All Might wore his own version of Nana's belt, so Izuku felt like it was like a line of succession. Just as his cowl was an homage to All Might, the belt was his homage to Nana. His utility pouches were still around his waist, but the cape flowed under them. His gauntlets activated and Izuku turned back to the "ghost". "What do you think?"

Nana gave him a soft, but wide smile, "You're going to make this old woman cry."

"In a good way this time, I hope."

Nana's smile sombered, "Yes, a good way this time." Izuku pursed his lips and furrowed his brow. He and Nana had never actually talked about the mystery of the Shimura family deaths. "I know what you're thinking, and don't worry about it."

"But-"

"Kid, we have a lot bigger things to worry about right now than me. It could've been Tenko, it could've been All For One, it could've been some random villain and All For One gave Tenko that villain's quirk out of some twisted form of revenge. Hell, it could've been something completely random for all we know. My baby is gone, but Eri is still alive. And as long as she is, she's a much bigger priority than a family that's long gone."

Izuku sighed, but nodded. "You're right."

"And hey…" She made her way over to Izuku and ruffled a hand through his hair. "I got you to out for now."

_*Knock* *Knock*_

The door opened to reveal Momo already wearing her hero costume. "I would usually wait for permission, but even if you weren't dressed I wouldn't see anything that I haven't seen before."

"Fair point," Izuku chuckled.

Nana shook her head, "T.M.I. I'll leave you to it for now." She vanished from the room, leaving the two teens alone.

Momo walked up to her partner and began smoothing out wrinkles on his chest. "How dashing. Hatsume did wonderfully on the cape."

"Yeah, she did. And, in Hatsume fashion she somehow made a cape complicated." The teen grabbed onto the cape, sparking a small current of his power through the fabric. The shape-memory fibers sprung to life, forming a semi-rigid structure of the kevlar, asbestos, and Gore-Tex tri-weave. "She's done so much for me. At this point I owe her my life multiple times over. I need to pay her back in every way possible."

"Were you including her when you talked about the people you're grateful for."

"Of course. I don't know where I'd be without her."

Momo's arms moved up to wrap around Izuku's neck, and her head rested on them as she leaned into Izuku's warmth. "And me?"

Izuku lifted a brow in slight confusion, but coiled his arms around his lover. "Do I even need to say anything? You're everything to me. I figured you wouldn't even need to ask that."

"I know I don't. But, I really needed to hear that."

"What's wrong," Izuku asked, leaning his head against her's."

"...Would you believe me if I said I forgot you can die?"

Izuku chuckled dryly, but shook his head. "Actually, I do believe you. I feel the same way about you."

Momo sighed, "I've seen you pull through every situation that comes our way. In my mind I sometimes see you as an unstoppable force. Even after your fight with Bakugou where you were the most vulnerable, I couldn't help but just see how strong you were for standing tall after everything you went through in your past. Now though, I can't stop thinking about Chisaki's power. Even Shigaraki's quirk doesn't kill you instantly. But this...I know you're going to fight him. There's just no way around it, you're going to. Please, if at any point you feel like things are going to go bad, run. Just run. I know for a fact that you're fast enough to get away without issue."

"B-But, what about Eri?"

"Grab her and go."

"And if Chisaki still has her?" All Izuku received as a response was silence. She was in thought, not sure what to do if that specific situation arose. Izuku knew the difficulty of that scenario first-hand and decided to help. "Do you remember when you were about to be taken by the League?"

"That moment is difficult to forget."

"Yeah, sorry. But, when you and Bakugou were going to be taken I was faced with a choice. I wasn't fast enough to save both of you. I could only pick one. Understandably, I chose you. But, I still felt so terrible afterwards. Everything in my being was yelling at me for not saving both of you. I felt what I did was wrong. But, at the hospital, All Might talked to me about it. He asked me what I would do if there was a gunmen, and you were to the right and a citizen was to the left. Whoever I went to save, the gunmen would shoot the other. Who would I save? The citizen is likely helpless, but you're the one I love. If I saved you I'd still be doing my job as a hero by saving someone, but it'd be based on a bias. If I saved the citizen I'd be rescuing the people like I'm supposed to, and you're FAR from helpless and would likely end up fine, but if you somehow died I would lose the one I loved. And it would be my fault."

"The Hero's Choice. One is giving up something you love for someone's life. The other is deciding that the one you love is more important and saving them instead, still saving a life. Both don't allow the opinion or choice of the people you have to choose between. Both are selfish, yet selfless."

Izuku nodded, "Exactly. All Might told me there is no right answer. So, what do I do here? If I save myself, I'd be saving myself for you. I'd be saving myself to keep you from pain. If I die, but Eri is saved, then she'd be happy and well. She'd wouldn't have to suffer anymore. But, then you have to suffer. I'm more than willing to make the sacrifice for Eri."

"I know you are."

"But, I'm not exactly the most logical person when it comes to heroics. Most of the time my life is the least of my concerns."

"You do both. You save Eri, and you come back to me."

Izuku chuckled, remembering All Might's words. "That's almost never an option."

"But it's the best outcome. And if anyone can achieve it, it's you. You also forgot the last choice."

"What last choice?"

"You forget that I'm willing to make sacrifices, too. From your perspective, Eri's life and my life are more important than yours. What if I feel the same about me?"

Izuku shook his head and buried his face into Momo's hair, "That's not an option. I can't live without you. I'd rather it be me. I'd die happy if you and Eri were safe."

"You seem to forget that I feel the same way about you."

"There's a difference. You can find someone else."

"So can you."

"I don't want anyone else."

"Neither do I."

Izuku chuckled, "Now we're just back to square one. We just went in a circle."

Momo laughed with him, but leaned her head back and looked him in the eye. "I wouldn't say that. I think we can now both agree that Eri being rescued isn't negotiable. And now, we have another factor added that the original question didn't. Now we know that the one we love doesn't want to be the one chosen. We have to make sure that there is no choice to be made. We have to make sure that Chisaki doesn't get the chance to give us that decision."

Izuku looked into Momo's eyes and saw the future he wanted to live. He thought back to the look in Eri's eyes and the future he wanted for _her _to live. "...This time... This time I'll make sure we get the best outcome." He raised his gauntlet covered fist. "Things are different this time around. We're far more powerful."

"And this time I'll be right beside you."

Izuku smiled and kissed Momo. Both melted in their passionate embrace. The moment reminding each teen what they have to lose, and how they refuse to give it up.

Momo pulled away from the kiss and leaned her forehead against Izuku's. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"When do we need to arrive at the police station?"

Izuku looked at the clock, "About an hour and a half." A sly smile slowly crept its way onto Momo's face. Izuku immediately caught on, picking her up walking towards the bed.

…

**(A Few Hours Later: The Police Station)**

"Everyone, take a tracking device!" Everyone now stood outside of the police station nearest to the Yakuza hideout. Boxes of small handheld devices were being passed out to every police officer and hero in front of the station. The students each grabbed one for themselves and turned them on. A dot began blinking on the screen, text saying that the target was miles away.

Aizawa and All Might walked up to the group of students and gathered them around. Shouta stepped forward, "You all know your teams. Stay safe and-...Where are the problem children?"

"Here!" The group turned to see Izuku and Momo rush towards the group and come to a stop. Toshinori faltered at the sight of Izuku's belt, having no idea Izuku had gotten it. Momo was smoothing out her hair as she spoke, "We, um...lost track of time." She looked over to Izuku and saw his mouth guard was put on backwards and quickly flipped it around.

"...Ooookay. As I was saying, don't start a conflict unless any of the Yakuza resist first. They're going to put up a fight, there's no doubt in my mind."

All Might spoke up, "You've all dealt with villains before. Some of you more than others. But, don't let your experience get to your heads. Remember that these are still very dangerous people. Stick with your groups and follow your orders."

"There is one change, however." The students all turned to Aizawa. "Midoriya…" All eyes were then trained on the young student. "...I need you to remember what I said the other night."

"Y-You mean to stay behind you?"

"Yes, to do everything I say. So that means if the opportunity arises, and I tell you to do so…" Shouta leaned down and looked Izuku dead in the eye. "...then you do absolutely _everything in your power_ to make sure we win. You are the trump card, if the trump card literally flipped the table over and shot the other player."

All Might nodded his head, "In less graphic terms, no one knows what you can do now. Don't underestimate Chisaki, but know that you have not only the element of surprise, but the power to back it up. With everything at risk, we need your kind of power." Izuku furrowed his brow and nodded his head, ready to face any challenge.

Nana appeared to Izuku's right, "Essentially what they're saying is, "find an opening and crack open the biggest can of whoop ass you have"."

"Uh…" Kirishima raised an eyebrow. "When you said no one knows what Midoribro can do now, that goes for us too. What are you talking about?"

All Might gestured to Izuku's wrists, "Remember I-Island?"

Ejirou's, Ochako's, and Kyouka's eyes all widened. "No way!"

Mirio slowly raised his hand, "I still got know idea what those things are."

Aizawa waved them off, "You'll see soon enough. Just get ready. We need to move out."

"Midoriya!" The teen turned to see Nighteye beckoning him over to him.

Momo gestured towards Nighteye. "Go ahead. I'll grab our tracking devices." Izuku nodded and jogged his way over to Sir, and the two walked away from the crowd.

"How are you feeling?"

...That wasn't what Izuku was expecting.

"Uh, g-good. A little nervous, but good."

_*Flick*_

"Ow!" Izuku rubbed his ear where Nighteye had flicked it. "What was that for?"

"You're not supposed to be nervous. You're supposed to be full of confidence. Perk up, smile."

"Well, isn't a big part of heroism truth and honesty?"

Sir looked at him confused, "Well, yes."

"Then shouldn't I be honest about how I feel? Why hide it behind a smile?"

That last question made Sir even more suspicious, "What are you talking about?"

Izuku shrugged, "It's just something I've been thinking about." Izuku watched as Sir squinted at him questioningly, but ultimately let it pass.

"Whatever you think is best."

Izuku paused, "...What?"

"I've been trying to be more optimistic and hopeful. Even if it means about your methods as All Might's successor." He looked down at Izuku with a smirk. "It's just something I've been thinking about." He nudged Izuku with his elbow and walked off. "Now get your act together. We're moving out."

…

Kai leaned back in his lab chair and sighed. The process of creating the product was much slower than predicted. Eri was still too young to be able to collect a large enough amount of samples to not make her unfixable.

She had been causing so much trouble as of late. The little girl was being so antsy about something. It was as if she was hiding something. Granted, she always tended to be even more jumpy after her failed escape attempts. Making examples out of the babysitters that let her go usually did the trick. They were still cleaning her last babysitter off the wall.

But, there was one big difference about that escape than the others.

The boy.

Kai thought back to the young man in the green costume. He might've been one of the most diseased heroes he had ever seen. So abysmally subservient to the heroic mold formed by the sickness. He latched onto Eri without hesitation and acted as if the girl was his own.

Chisaki could see the heroic fire burning in his eyes and the instant hatred directed towards him.

Just another sick hero that wouldn't understand what he's doing to the world.

Chisaki went back to his microscope to continue working. Suddenly, the door to his lab opened.

"Excuse me, u-uh Boss?"

Chisaki continued to examine the sample in his microscope as he responded. "What is it? Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I'm so very sorry about that, but...the heroes are coming."

Chisaki sighed, "As expected. A little earlier than I thought, but we have time to-"

"Right now."

Kai lifted his head and slowly turned to his henchman. "...Excuse me?"

"The heroes are coming...like, right now. The police are already pulling up outside."

The Yakuza boss blinked a few times in complete silence. Chrono sat to Chisaki's right, and if one could see under his mask they would see worry. He knew the heroes would be coming, but definitely not that fast. "...Thank you. Now go tell everyone to prepare. Tell them to use force. The heroes' arrival so soon is unexpected. We need all the time we can buy."

"Yes, Boss." The pawn left the room with haste, happy that the boss wasn't angry enough to kill him.

Chrono looked around at their lab and shook his head. "We don't have enough time. We were only able to make one bullet."

Kai stood and made his way towards the door. "Then make it count. Grab the product and Eri." He exited his lab to see Himiko and Jin leaning against the wall. "You two, it's time to earn your keep. Deal with the pests."

Himiko giggled, "Okaaay~".

Chisaki stopped and pursed his lips, "...I should probably be worried about how you said that. But, I don't have time to not take the benefit of the doubt." The Yakuza boss walked down the hallway with Chrono on his trail. Just before the door closed, Toga and Jin slipped inside to the lab.

"Ooooo Jin we're going to have so much fun getting revenge for Big Sis Mag."

"It sure will. **I'm already bored!** But, what exactly are we doing in the lab? I thought we were going to help the heroes take down the lead men."

Himiko began skipping around the room looking at other tubes and files. "We will. I just had an even better idea for how we can get back at them for Magne, and now for that cute little girl!"

"I didn't think you would care about the kid."

Himiko opened up a file and began skimming through. "Tomura said he was using her body to make those bullet thingys that get rid of quirks. I don't know about you, but that sounds like no fun to me. And she's just so cute!"

"Well, what are we here for then? **I don't care!**"

Himiko giggled as she found what she was looking for in the file and tossed it to Jin. "Just a little bit of information…" She opened up a chilled cabinet and looked inside, her smile even wider than before. "...and a little snack."

…

Dozens and dozens of police and SWAT piled out of multiple cars and armored vans. Heroes arrived on the scene and got into their respective groups. Izuku felt an elbow nudge him in the ribs. He turned to see Mirio looking down to him. The blonde simply gave him a smile and a thumbs up.

Izuku returned the smile in full, punching the palm of his hand and letting power flow through him. He looked across to Momo with the Fatgum group. His girlfriend caught his eyes and gave a smile of her own, this one full of love.

Aizawa was on the phone next to Izuku, and everyone could guess who he was talking to. "Yes...Yes I know I-...Okay... I'll call you when this is over. I-..." Shouta froze, looked around, and then suddenly took off down the street. He sprinted into one of the SWAT vans, closed and locked the doors, wrapped his scarf all the way around his head, put his phone to his mouth, and whispered, "_I love you too, Emi."_

_"I HEARD THAT!" _Kyouka shouted from the outside.

"No you didn't!"

Emi chimed in from the phone, _"Yes she did."_

Aizawa quickly ended the call and made his way back outside, glaring daggers at Kyouka.

The police chief walked up to the estates doorbell and rang it "When I read off the warrant, things are gonna start moving. Things could get crazy, so keep calm and move forward. Find that girl." Everyone nodded towards the chief and prepared themselves. Izuku looked to Nana and nodded. The past user floated up above the gate and looked into the estate. Her eyes suddenly went wide.

"Izuku, get everyone away from the door!" Time slowed down for the current inheritor. Just as the wood of the door began to crack and break, Izuku was already moving. Before a single splinter of wood could fly through the air, he grabbed every officer near the front and ran them away in the blink of an eye.

Rikiya Katsukame burst through the door, charging forward at the officers. "A bit early for a bunch of guests, isn't i-"

_*Slap*_

_*Crash*_

"Ah! Wha-...What the hell?!" Katsukame had suddenly crashed into the ground, his body struggling to get up only a few inches. "What's happening?!" Nejire sent a blast at the man's head, knocking him out.

When the gang member had run by, Ochako had simply smacked his leg and increased his gravity. Kyouka pursed her lips and nodded, "Wow. That was...extremely easy."

Nighteye began walking inside, "Don't get your hopes up. It won't stay that way for long." Officers began moving in and spreading out across the estate, covering more ground. More Yakuza with weapons began piling out from buildings and firing down on the intruders.

Ryukyu transformed and protected as many people as she could with her wings. "Froppy, go through the doors and take out the gunman inside. Earphone Jack, take out anyone on the ground."

Izuku turned to Tsu, "Need a lift?" The frog girl turned invisible and hopped on to Izuku's back. In a streak of green light, the two made their way inside. As it turned out, Izuku wasn't the only one who received an upgrade as Kyouka unsheathed her newest piece of gear. She pulled out a blade length tuning fork. At the end of the red hilt, Kyouka plugged in one of her jacks into the input port.

The tuning fork began to vibrate at dangerous speeds. "Yaomomo, I need some cover!" A riot shield immediately popped out the rich girl's bare back, and the two carefully made their way out from behind Ryukyu's wings. As soon as they were a decent enough distance from the others, Kyouka quickly flipped around the shield and jabbed her tuning fork sword (Which she dubbed, "The Equalizer") into the ground; effectively creating a small earthquake in the vicinity. The ground cracked and quaked causing the gunman to lose their balance and fall.

Kirishima, Fatgum, Momo, the Big 3, and many officers all took their chances and made sure the fallen criminals were down for the count. Once unconscious, the officers began handcuffing and taking the gang members back outside to the awaiting vans.

From the main house Izuku and Tsu exited with Froppy holding a large amount of guns without their magazines and Deku holding a large sum of K.O'd men on his back. Nana appeared to his left. "You missed one behind you."

Izuku quickly dropped all the men and whipped around just in time to see a gang member jump out from behind the shrubbery and fire his pistol.

_*Bang*_

Izuku's world once again slowed as his power flowed through him. He calmly watched the bullet slowly move towards him as if moving through molasses. _'This is so cool...Did I just fanboy over myself?'_

Nana nodded, "You did. But, own it."

The bullet was caught by the young teen much to everyone's surprise. The criminals eyes went wide as he immediately dropped his pistol and raised his hands up. "I give up."

Mirio quickly disappeared under the ground and reappeared below the man, uppercutting him unconscious. "Appropriate response. Also…" He quickly turned to Izuku. "That was totally wicked!"

Izuku rubbed the back of his head embarrassed, muttering quietly to himself. Aizawa pushed them both along, "Enough of that. C'mon."

_*Beep* *Beep*_

Izuku pulled out his tracker and shouted, "Eri's on the move! We have to hurry!" Everyone quickly bolted into the main house and ran through the corridors until they reached a small space where a potted plant was being kept in a space in the wall.

Sir walked up to it, "This exact spot was where Eri's signal began going deeper. There has to be some sort of mechanism here."

Bubble Girl lifted a brow, "Like some sort of ninja hideout?" Everyone then slowly turned to look at Momo.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"You know why."

"... Probably a brick under the plant." Sir quickly lifted the plant and pressed down on the stone. The mechanism activating and the fake wall moving away. A few men were hiding behind the wall, but we're quickly taken care of by Bubble Girl and Centipeder. Everyone looked down the stairs into the darkness.

Into the belly of the beast they went.


	57. The Raid (Part Two)

**A/N: I'm so sorry about that wait. Halfway through writing this chapter I had two essays to write (One being a required 18 paragraphs), a documentary to watch with questions to answer, two art projects, and a test all due in the same week.**

**I've been sitting at my laptop every second of every day, and I couldn't even be writing shit I actually wanted to write. It sucked. But, here we are. Now, I wanted to talk to you all about something.**

**So, I just found out that on FFN this story surpassed 1,000,000 views. I...I don't know what to say (BTW, the chapter with the sex scene had a major spike in views. Ya bunch of pervs...says the one who wrote it) The fact that enough of you have stuck around to cultivate that amount of views on this rarepair story that I still think is pretty hit or miss is outstanding to me. It's not just FFN either, all the sites I post on have amazing support. (Now, if only Wattpad would get their shit together and fix their stupid ranking system because my story was very high for a long time but suddenly vanished and hasn't been on there for months. Shouldn't the base ranking system be based on views, votes, and comments and the other ones such as "New" and "Rising" use the other variables? I dunno, that just makes sense to me.) Anyway, I just have to say thank you again. I know this story isn't for everyone, I make mistakes, I have my bad days, a lot of this story is strange, awkward, questionable, etc. But to everyone here that seriously thinks this story is worth something, that thinks it's legitimately worth a read, thank you. **

**I started this story during a pretty dark spot in my life. One that started a few years ago if I'm being honest. I started writing this purely because I thought, "Fuck it. I don't have anything else to do and it won't go anywhere" and almost a form of escapism. Like writing my own little world about other people's lives would distract me from my real one. But, I definitely didn't think it would be multiple chapters, much less 50+ going on 60 and beyond, AND I would have multiple other stories. The support for An Insecure Violet is also starting off very strong and I've already fallen in love with writing Kyouka (You have no idea how strange it was writing a hetero Kyouka after writing the Kyouka in this story for so long. But her and Izuku fit so well it's scary). And Thank You started out...uh...rough, in a less crude term. Yet somehow here we are.**

**This story, and most especially all of you, have made me so happy. Reading all of your likes, criticisms, jokes (you people on Wattpad are so fucking nuts and I love you), and just everything is amazing. I literally can't wait to see another notification from someone. Ever since writing this my personal life has actually gotten a lot happier. Still has kinks, but whose doesn't? **

**Whenever this story comes to an end I might just have to make one long ass letter to the people who I always see comment and message and such. I know I can't give much, but I hope my stories can be enough.**

**Thank you.**

**Pun intended.**

**...I still have no idea how any of you find me funny**.

The teams all ran down the stairs, the light of the hallway behind them being their only way of seeing. Izuku pulled out his tracking device and watched as Eri's red dot began moving further into the compound. And if she was on the move, so was Chisaki. The group made it to the bottom of the stairs, only to find a dead end. Mirio slipped his head through the wall and looked around. "We're clear."

Izuku and Ejirou crashed through the wall, allowing everyone to move forward. Sir turned back to yell up the stairwell at Bubble Girl, who was dealing with the captured villains up top, only for the doorway to suddenly close. "Well, that's not good."

The ground began shifting and the walls began morphing around them. The hall began twisting into a spiral, the light from the end beginning to vanish. Once again Izuku's world began to slow down. His tracker said that the main hall that they were in would take them directly to Eri. He was the only one capable of making it…

...Aizawa did say to act if the opportunity arose.

...He also said only if he told him so.

Well, as the saying goes: It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Like a streak of light, Izuku bolted straight into the spiral closing hallway. The young hero hopped over concrete, dived through morphed doorways, and broke through interfering chunks of wall as it began closing in on his body. From his perspective, the hallway was closing at a snail's pace. But, even at his speed, the end was already nearly shut. With one final push, Izuku broke through the final wall, the rest of the base free for roaming. Izuku caught his breath and checked his tracking device. He was more than confident in his friend's abilities, they would be fine.

He broke into a sprint heading deeper into the base.

…

**(Back with the rest of the teams)**

Aizawa pressed his lips together and nodded while looking at the now vanished hall Izuku had just left through. "That's about right. Okay, Deku's gone."

Momo shrugged, "What else were you expecting?"

Sir turned to Mirio and nodded his head toward the wall, "Lemillion?"

"On it!" The blonde ran towards the wall and vanished into it, following the younger hero.

The police chief looked around the dark hall, "This has to be Irinaka, this is his handiwork. Can you cancel it out, Eraserhead?"

"I have to see his body for that. Earphone Jack, plu-" Before Aizawa could finish his sentence, the floor beneath them fell, and the heroes were all dropped to a large room below. Nejire and Ochako did their best to make sure no one hit the ground hard, and managed to get most of everyone down to the ground safely.

"Well look at what we have here." The group turned to see three men emerge from the dust. All three were wearing different masks and had crazed looks in their eyes. "Some state-authorized goons fell from the sky. Life's full of surprises."

Fatgum cracked his knuckles, "These guys want a fight? Let's give 'em one!"

"No." Amajiki raised his arm out to block the pro from going any further. "Everyone here is essential to the mission, especially the pros. You all need to catch up to Lemillion and Deku before things take a turn for the worse. I'll take these low-lifes myself."

"What?" Kirishima exclaimed.

"No!" Nejire yelled as she flew over to SunEater. "You're not fighting alone. I'll stay with you."

"Nejire, you're too powerful to be wasted on these criminals. They need you. Mirio needs you. Go to him."

"But-"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, "You and Mirio are always telling me that I should have more confidence in myself, and that you believe in me. Well, believe in me now. I can handle this." Tamaki turned to Fatgum. "Go! There's no point getting caught up here. Let me do this." The pro stood completely still, not sure what to do. Tamaki didn't wait for an answer and proceeded to begin fighting, his arms transforming into octopus arms.

Fatgum sighed and nodded, "Let's go. There's a door over there!" Momo and Kirishima were about to interrupt, but the pro stopped them. "SunEater has it covered. There's no one better than him to take care of this. Have confidence in him. We have more important things to take care of." The group hesitantly turned away from the battle and ran out the door and into the hallway. "Okay, things haven't exactly gone to plan. But, I think we still got thi-" The wall suddenly shot out and tried to push Aizawa into a new made hole. Before he could be taken Fatgum shoved Eraser out of the way, vanishing from the scene. "OH GOD-DAmn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii…!"

Fatgum's yell slowly faded away as he was moved further and further away from the rest with the hole closing shut. Kyouka shook her head, "This is really falling apart."

"Kirishima's gone!" Ochako yelled out.

Eraser stood back up on his feet, "Damn. He must've gotten dragged along with Fatgum. I'm getting sick of Irinaka." As if responding to Aizawa with a middle finger, the hall began to shift and morph once more.

Sir turned around and shouted, "Rock Lock!"

The agitated pro pressed his hand onto the wall, freezing it in place. "Great, now we're in this mess. I have a limited range, this is the best I can do."

The police began to look around the room, "Irinaka is like a game of Whack-A-Mole. He's likely burrowing in certain spots. Eraserhead?"

"I can't see him. I need to be able to see his body to cancel his quirk."

Ryukyu turned to Kyouka and nodded. Kyouku smirked, "I can fix that!" She jabbed her jacks into the wall and listened in. Eventually, a heartbeat and breathing could be heard. The purplette swiveled around and pointed up towards a spot of the ceiling. "Nejire, blast right there!"

Without hesitation, the blue-haired powerhouse fired a shockwave into the ceiling and blasted apart the concrete. Behind the debris was a scared looking Irinaka. "Oh shit." Immediately, Aizawa cancelled his quirk and made him completely defenseless.

Momo raised her hand and shot out a web-like substance from her wrist, latching on to Irinaka and pulling him to the ground. Kyouka looked at Momo questioningly, "What...What was that?"

"I've been reading Izuku's old comics. It was fun to figure out how to make these," Momo said while using it to stick Irinaka to the ground. Sir slung a seal stamp into the mobster's head, knocking him out.

Eraser deactivated his quirk and turned to Momo and Kyouka, "Well done you two. Now let's move." Besides being split up, things were going well. The group continued forward, their trackers indicating that Eri was getting closer. And, if that was true, then Izuku and Mirio weren't that far.

...

**(Earlier With Izuku)**

Izuku rushed through the halls as fast as he could without causing more damage around him. As he ran past door after door, he was suddenly stopped. "Izuku!" The teen skidded to a stop, burning marks into the floor. He turned back to see Nana looking into a room he had passed. "You might wanna take a look at this." Confused, the young hero sprinted into the room and gasped in shock. In front of him was what he assumed must have been Chisaki's lab where his experiments on Eri were performed. "Looks like Nighteye was right. Chisaki, that damn bastard."

Izuku roamed around the room, needles, tubes, and chemicals were everywhere. In the center sat an operation chair with clamps on the arm rests. What horrified Izuku the most was that the leather of the chair was completely stained with a fading blood red.

His stomach churned in horror. When Sir said Chisaki was using his quirk to take Eri's body to make bullets, he didn't think he meant _ literally destroying her body _. His recently dwindled anger shot back into him at full force. Nana stood next to him and looked down at the chair, the same realization dawning on her. "Sometimes I really hate that I'm morally against killing."

"But…?"

"But, I'm not against breaking his bones. Perhaps all of them." Nana chuckled at her joke, but saw Izuku was still staring at the chair with rage etched into his features. "We've really gotta fix you up."

Izuku was snapped out of his stupor, "What?"

Nana pressed a finger on the wrinkles formed from his scowl. "You're out of whack. Out of balance. I didn't think what I said to you would mess you up that bad."

"What are you talking about?" Izuku said, still confused and quickly turning back around to exit and continue his pursuit of Chisaki.

"When I said you shouldn't philosophically be like Toshinori." Izuku stopped at the door, signalling Nana to continue. "It's all you've ever known, and I know it's hard. But, I'm sticking by what I said. Whenever you're at home, with friends, family, with Yaoyorozu, you're fine. Everything is right. But, now when you're out here being a hero, you don't have answers anymore. You're stressed and conflicted with yourself. You didn't even forgive Bakugou, not that he deserves it, but being unforgiving isn't how you do things."

Izuku threw his arms up in exasperation, "I just don't know what to do."

Nana smiled, "It's simple really. You're such an overthinker."

"I thought you said you didn't know either."

"I didn't. And then I got to know you personally. I realized exactly what you have to be. So will you. But, all you need to do at this moment is go shove your foot up a mob boss' ass."

Izuku nodded, "Thanks for the imagery."

"It's what I do." Izuku looked past Nana to see an open cooler with dozens and dozens of vials inside. Each one was filled with what Izuku could only assume was Eri's blood. A few vials were missing. But, he couldn't think about it for too long. Eri was still on the move.

...Oddly not very fast.

The tracker indicated that Chisaki was essentially going the speed of a stroll through the park. He must've been confident in his top men's abilities to keep the heroes occupied.

Too bad Izuku was an outlier.

"Let's go."

...

"If you wouldn't mind..." Chisaki and Chrono both stopped in their tracks, and slowly turned around to see the young hero Deku with a piercing glare. Everything was already moving much faster than expected, but anyone being able to catch up at that point was near impossible. What had happened to Irinaka? "...I'd like to take Eri somewhere safe. There's a lot of dangerous men around here."

Kai nonchalantly scoffed, "And where would that be?"

"Far away from you."

Nana shook her head, "We have got to work on your banter."

Kai turned around to Izuku, "Fair enough. However, I'm not going anywhere. And Eri wants nothing to do with someone like you, someone who turned a blind eye and left her."

Izuku clenched his fists, "I promised her I'd come for her."

"And here you are, ready to die."

Nana looked to the ceiling, "Punch up." Izuku immediately rocketed his fist into the air, the blast of pressure slamming into the hiding Deidoro Sakaki hanging from the pipes above. The mob member fell to the ground completely out cold, his beer bottle smashing to pieces on impact.

Izuku rolled his shoulders back, "You were saying?"

Chisaki's uninterested eyes changed to somewhat intrigued. "You seem different from before. Just as reckless and angry, a student playing hero, but...different."

"You can tell your friend in the shadows he can come out. I know he's there."

"Hmm." Chisaki raised his hand and motioned forward. Shin Nemoto appeared from the shadows, gun trained on Izuku. "I'm sorry, master. I didn't anticipate him seeing Sakaki."

Chisaki turned around and continued to walk down the hallway, Chrono on his tail. "It's fine. Perhaps that drunkard should've been quieter. Just kill him so we can move on."

"Yes, master."

_ *BANG* _

Nemoto fired his gun directly at the teenager, only to see that the only thing he hit was the wall and Izuku was gone. There was a sudden thunderous wind that crashed throughout the hall, Nemoto crashing into the wall down for the count. Chrono and Chisaki were doing their best, but failed to stay on their feet.

Soon the wind died down, the mob boss and his henchman stood back up. Chisaki cracked his neck and wiped the filthy dust the wind blew around off of his body. "Get back here, Eri." The villain turned around to face Izuku, who was now holding Eri in his arms. "You know what'll happen if you don't."

The terrified little girl began struggling in Izuku's arms, but his grip was firm. "Don't listen to him. Everything's gonna be fine."

Eri shook her head, tears in her eyes, "No! He's gonna kill you! Get away!"

"Eri, he'll die. You don't want that, do you?"

Izuku shook his head, "He's lying, Eri. It doesn't matter if you go back, he'll try to kill me anyway. You've suffered too much. I won't let him kill me, and I won't certainly let him hurt you. You'll never have to see him again."

"You were born to break people. Every move you make hurts someone. Your very existence is a curse!"

"No, it isn't!" Izuku looked Eri in the eyes and continued. "Eri, I know what it feels like to have people want nothing more than to hurt you, to make you believe things about you that aren't true. Your father isn'-"

"Father?" Izuku furrowed his brow in confusion at Chisaki's interruption. "Oh, right. That's what I told you. You fool…" Kai ripped his glove from his left hand. "I have no children."

Kai slammed his hand down onto the ground, the entire hallway bursting and constructing into an extremely large room of broken tile and misshapen rock. Spikes began shooting out everywhere, aiming right for Izuku and Eri. Chrono grabbed Nemoto's gun with normal bullets and fired. Keeping his power from being too destructive, Izuku opted to grab his waist cape and send a charge of his power through it. He raised it over him and Eri as it solidified and softened the blow of the bullets and stopped them from penetrating through the material.

Chrono scoffed, "I thought capes were just for show?"

Izuku detached the garment from his belt and wrapped it around Eri in hopes of the protective materials keeping her from harm. Nana shouted orders, "Left! Duck! Slide under! Kick them away!" With every command Izuku did as instructed, moving and dodging around the spikes with ease. The onslaught finally stopped, giving Izuku some time to breathe.

"You... You're...You're trying to kill Eri, too?!"

Kai wiped away some dust from the debris, "Of course. If she gets damaged it doesn't matter to me. I can heal her. She might not come back completely normal, but...I guess she's used to that. She'll still be useful."

Izuku grit his teeth, the underlying anger from the beginning of the week coming back full force. Being at home with Momo and his friends had put him at rest, but with the lab and now Chisaki's clear lack of care and utter manipulation and tearing down of Eri, Izuku's walls were breaking.

"You vile...callous...sadistic...motherfu-"

Nana placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's keep the language to a minimum around the girl, alright. Stay focused. You're letting your power go ballistic. Remember, even simple movements at 100% are dangerous. Unless you want the entire basement crashing down on everyone's heads, including the other heroes and your friends, then turn down the heat on the kettle."

Izuku took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay. Okay, I got this." In his arms, Eri felt the fabric in her hands. It was strange to her. It was red, the color of blood. A color she hated, that made her feel fear. But, for some reason, the object wrapped around her made her feel...safe. Maybe it was because of how soft it was. Or, maybe it was because of who it came from.

The stranger: Deku.

At least, that's what she had heard the tall blonde haired man call him. Deku was the person who had held her gently. The person who had promised to rescue her. He gave her a gift, the little red blinking thing. He made her feel...okay. He was the nicest person she had ever met.

And that made Eri all the more scared that she was going to get him killed.

Chrono whipped out his gun, but Kai put his hand out in front of him. "One bullet, remember? He's made it apparent that he can dodge them anyway. I'll give you an opening."

Chrono shook his head in disbelief as he put away his gun, "What is he?"

"Another sick child in need of treatment." Chisaki once again placed his hand on the ground, spikes from every angle diving into one single spot. Izuku just managed to get out of the way, and continued to advance toward Chisaki. The spikes began not only to focus on Izuku, but on Eri as well. Even at 25%, trying to keep track of Eri, Chisaki, and the spike was beginning to be difficult. Not to mention Eri was making it apparent that she didn't want Izuku there.

"Why?! Why are you trying to help me?! Just let me go or you'll die! I don't want anyone else to die because of me!"

"You're no-ah!" Izuku ducked under another spike and slid under another. Chisaki was now creating walls to close Izuku in and block him from reaching the Yakuza members. "Even if I die, which I won't, it won't be because of you. I want you to be okay. I want to save you."

Eri closed her eyes and shook her head violently, "No! You don't understand!"

"Eri you-"

"Izuku, pay attention!" Nana's voice brought the hero back into the fight. His talking to Eri allowed a perfect distraction for Kai. Izuku was now boxed in completely. Spikes shot out from each wall and began closing in.

Chisaki scowled under his mask, "Can't you see she doesn't want to be saved. She knows how dangerous she is. You're just trying to unleash something the world doesn't understand." Tendrils of rock shot out directly towards Izuku. Just as the teen was about to boost his power to bust out of the trap, a fist flew out of the ground and uppercutted the mob boss. Mirio shot out of the floor as Overhaul tumbled backwards, and slammed Chrono in the jaw with a kick, the gun in his hand clattering away.

"I think the world and I will take our chances." The blonde vanished back under the ground and appeared next to Izuku. "So, what'd I miss?"

"Well, Eri isn't actually Chisaki's daughter."

"Eh, we probably should've seen that one coming."

"No!" Both looked back to Eri, still in Izuku's arms. "Now he's going to kill you both!" Tears flowed out of her eyes as she continued to squirm.

"She's right." The teens looked back towards Chisaki as he stood back up and looked towards them. "Eri, if you come back to me I'll make everything better. No one will get hurt. You know it would be better if you took the pain instead of them, wouldn't it?"

Mirio grit his teeth, then shouted, "Shut up!"

"...Yes," The quiet voice of Eri spoke out. "Yes." Izuku looked at her in despair. Her mind was so molded and manipulated that she didn't even want to be saved. In her mind she was cursed, and there was no other option than to suffer with the pain and delusions.

... Izuku felt an odd case of deja vu.

Chisaki outreached his hand, "Just hand her over, and this can all be over."

Mirio whispered, _ "Deku, get her out of here." _

Izuku whipped around to Mirio with wide eyes and whispered back, _ "What?" _

_ "You're the only one fast enough to get her far from him. I'll keep him here." _

_ "No, I'm staying to fight." _

_ "You might be fast, but you're touchable. He can't hurt me. Just get her out of here." _

Kai's patience grew warily thin, and his gaze shifted to the little girl. "Eri, what are they whispering about?"

Izuku scowled, "She doesn't have to answer to y-"

"L-... Leaving...with me."

Chisaki sighed, "As I thought. I apologize Eri…"

He once again slammed his hand on the ground …"but, I guess I don't have a choice!"

Spikes flew out from every single inch of the floor, so high that they nearly reached the ceiling. Nana's eyes went wide, "Yeah, we can't dodge that!"

Izuku quickly turned to Mirio with lightning enveloping his body, "Togata, dive down!" The blonde understood and sunk into the floor. Everything slowed down for the young hero, the spikes now only a few meters from him. He raised his leg, keeping his hold on Eri, and slammed his foot onto the floor, the shockwave destroying the incoming attacks. Mirio popped back out of the ground, and Izuku placed Eri down. "Take Eri and get her back to the surface."

"What?! No! You're the one that needs to go!" But, it was too late. Izuku was already off like a bolt of lightning and on Chisaki in the blink of an eye. Izuku's judgement was clouded by vengeance. The lab that Eri was mutilated repeatedly in had lodged itself into his head, and whenever he saw Chisaki his vision went red. The mob boss raised up a wall for defense, but it was easily broken. A swift kick was rocketed into Chisaki's stomach, sending him backwards.

Nana flew above the scene and shouted, "What did I say about the kettle?!" Izuku heard her and took deep breaths, but his assault didn't stop. The teen jumped into the air, 30% coursing through his veins. Tendrils of rock shot out of the ground and Izuku punched through them. "Both sides!" Nana was right as spikes from the both sides of the young hero rocketed towards him. "In front!" As Izuku moved out of their way, he was surprised to see one coming from straight on and heading directly between his eyes.

The teen swiped away the rock, only to find Chisaki directly behind it, his bare hand outstretched mere inches Izuku's face. Panicked, the greenette boosted his power swerved out of the way, barreling towards the ground at blinding speeds. Unable to land on his feet, Izuku rolled away and whipped back around to continue the fight.

...Only to fall on his face.

He tried to stand back up, but he continued to uncontrollably fall back down. He simply couldn't stand. The ground underneath him began to shift, so the teen knew what was coming. Izuku dodged the spikes as best as he could given his sudden lack of balance, but he could not stop one of the spikes stabbing into his left thigh. Seething in pain, Izuku punched the ground. The shockwave blowing back and shattering anything in the vicinity. Chisaki constructed the floor around his legs, keeping him in place. Izuku grabbed onto the spike, but Nana put a hand on his wrist. "Don't pull it out. That's what she sa-"

"Not really the time, Nana." Izuku groaned in pain as blood oozed down his leg. "What's happening to me?"

"Well done, Seikoro. You've redeemed yourself." Izuku and Nana looked over to see the drunkard Deidoro Sakaki belly down on the ground barely conscious. But, just awake enough for his quirk to be usable. Izuku quickly tried to shoot out his arms to fire off a blast of energy, but was blocked by another one of Chisaki's construction. The teen was barely able to flip himself over before his arm was impaled like his leg. Right as the mob boss was about to send off another attack, Mirio suddenly shot out of the ground and gave Chisaki a right hook into his temple. As the blonde became tangible, he stumbled to the ground as his equilibrium was being effected.

"Miri-, I mean, Lemillion? Thanks." Izuku looked through the spikes and constructions to see Eri at the far back of the room still wrapped in his cape and looking terrified and confused, not sure what to do with herself. Chisaki was completely focused on Mirio and himself, which was good. But…"

"Izuku!" Nana shouted. "Chrono!" The ghost pointed towards Chrono who was making his way towards the little girl. Black Whip cracked out of Izuku's arm, wrapping itself around the criminal's waist. Izuku picked him up and threw him into the wall.

Or, more appropriately, through the wall.

And behind that wall revealed Nighteye, Aizawa, the Ryukyu group, and…

"Momo!"

Izuku watched as his partner looked down at the man who had suddenly crashed through the wall they were about to break, then to a drunken, barely conscious man on the floor, to another mobster dressed as a plague doctor in all black,to the spikes littering the room, to Eri, and then finally up at her lover who was stabbed in the leg and surrounded by spikes and other oblong constructions. "When it comes to you, I've learned to stop asking and simply go along with it."

Mirio shouted as a spike phased through him, "The drunk on the floor! Knock hi-" Before the blonde can even finish his sentence, a seal stamp slammed into the criminal's temple, knocking him out cold.

Nighteye continued into the room, motioning for the others to spread out.

It just wasn't Chisaki's day. He looked around the room at the increased number of heroes that began moving around the perimeter and surrounding him. His biggest threat, who he had managed to immobilize with a spike to the leg, was now being tended to by a girl with a ponytail, and Eraserhead kept his sight on the mob boss.

Although…

Chisaki looked around at the heroes present and realized that the situation might actually be the best thing to have happened. But, if he wanted it to actually work in his favor, he needed to lower the pressure.

Kai craned his neck to look behind him at Eri at the far end of the room. Suddenly, Overhaul raised his hand, destroying a seal stamp about to hit his head. "Don't even think about it, Chisaki," Nighteye said. "You're under arrest."

"Really now? Do you believe that I'm going to raise my hands in surrender?" Izuku was brought to his feet. The spike in his leg was removed and the wound was wrapped tightly in bandages and gauze. With Izuku back on his feet, Chisaki knew it was now or never. "You all really are sick, aren't you?"

Momo furrowed her brow, "Define sick."

"Believe me, I'm sick as well. However, I'm enlightened."

Izuku limped forward, "Enlightened enough to butcher a little girl's body for drugs?" No one was making any real movements. Chisaki's gloves were discarded, and it was clear that he was a skilled man. He was too focused on them and would likely be able to react fast enough to touch them, killing them instantly.

Mirio knew he could get to Chisaki and not be touched, but he was more worried about the criminal attacking Eri instead of him. Izuku knew he was fast enough, but with his leg in the condition it was in, he couldn't be sure. He had pushed through worse pain. But, with a stab wound like the one he had, it could give out on him. Black Whip or his energy shots were an option, but there was no guarantee that they would work.

Izuku's energy was a physical energy. Black Whip and his electricity could be destroyed just like anything else. Chisaki would simply cancel them out.

"If by that you mean enlightened enough to take a living curse and turn her into a cure, then yes. I am." Keep the heroes talking. Make them interested. Buy more time. "You don't even realize what you've been infected with."

Ryukyu scowled, "What did you mean? What did you do?"

"What I did? No, I didn't do anything. I'm talking about the greatest disease epidemic to ever grace the planet. Quirks. Where did they come from? Mice and rats, or at least that's the theory."

Izuku was suddenly intrigued. His quirk-obsessive brain was attached to the subject. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, where did the bubonic plague come from?"

"...Oh."

"I may be a germaphobe, but there is no denying that quirks truly are a sickness. A disease that somehow managed to not kill its hosts, but made the hosts kill each other." The man scoffed, "Look at where we are now. What we're doing now. This disease caused the devolution of the world. We all know the saying, "Without quirks, humans would be on the moon". This is exactly my point. We've haven't just slowed down, we've reversed. And now, being sick is an occupation." He gestured towards everyone in the room around him. "The government pays sick people to fight other sick people, and then the ill that are living regular lives have to pay taxes to pay for the damage. Heroic sacrifice and villainous acts are no different. Both derive from a distortion of the mind from an illness that you have all confused for a blessing."

Nighteye shook his head, "Are you done preaching?"

Kai subtly glanced over at Chrono, his body beginning to slightly move. Just a little more time. "No. Perhaps, if you let me speak you would actually learn something."

"We're not interested in whatever you have to teach."

"Of course not. I'm cursed with knowledge and understanding that you don't accept. Or, maybe you simply refuse to accept it. All of you in your hierarchy, above everyone else. Paid to be sick and with stronger diseases. You're worshipped, why would you want my cure? You have it all."

Izuku pressed his lips together, but not in anger. He felt disgusted at the thought, but it was actually in understanding. It was just like Nana had said. People like All Might are worshipped, and Izuku was a culprit of that. People become compliant and no one goes anywhere. There is no improvement. Hell, most countries' budgets went into hero companies. A few months ago, Izuku would have found everything Chisaki said insane. It was true that he was stubborn when it came to his philosophies.

Now, however…

"It's a vaccine."

All eyes turned to Izuku, most in confusion. Momo furrowed her brow, "What?"

Izuku looked up to Kai, "The bullets. They're a vaccine. Eradicating whatever bacteria from the mice that's embedded into our DNA. We called quirks the next evolution of our species, but..."

Kai's eyebrows raised, as if he was impressed. "But what?" He said, pushing Izuku to continue.

Izuku sighed, "...but, an evolution is meant to progress a species further in their advancement. We've been stalled. You want to go back to the Pre-Quirk Era."

"Exactly. It's a win-win scenario for us all. The world is cured and can finally evolve-"

Izuku scowled, "And the Yakuza come back into power."

"And here I thought you were the sickest one of the bunch. I've underestimated you. I finall-"

"But…" Izuku interrupted. "Your methods are horrific, sadistic, inhumane, and all in the name of bringing back a crime organization. The world can be shown to be better without erasing everything."

"Your idea is an empty dream. My idea is an effective possibility." Chisaki exhaled through his teeth, "So close, yet so far. In mere moments you went from being the start of my hopes to being a great disappointment."

"Yeah, I used to get that a lot."

"I guess it doesn't matter now." Kai could see Chrono turn his head on the floor. "I might find villains to be just as vile as heroes, but I must admit, their monologues work wonders. Now, Chrono!"

Nighteye turned around to see an arrow pierce Chrono's hood and slice through the air towards Aizawa. Sir was the closest, and Izuku's leg wasn't reliable and would likely fail him. He had been trying to do things differently all day, and yet he was still in the exact situation that he envisioned in his future. Sir shoved Aizawa out of the way. A hole opened up, sending Aizawa down to the level below. It was clear that Eraser's quirk was dangerous to them, so he needed to be gotten rid of. Now the arrow was heading directly towards the clairvoyant. He knew his fate, and it didn't scare him. "Sir!" Suddenly, Nighteye was also shoved out of the way by Mirio who had phased through the ground.

The world slowed down for all that watched as the arrow pierced straight through Mirio's heart.

Izuku screamed out, "Togata!" And Nejire simply had a look of horror.

The blonde looked down at the arrow through his chest, and then back up to Izuku with a confused expression. "What?" He phased right through the arrow and looked around at everyone's expression. The only one not surprised was Sir, who already knew what was going to happen. "Did...Did you all forget I could do that?"

With everyone distracted, Chisaki slammed both of his hands into the ground. The room shook as walls were destroyed and reconstructed into larger spikes and edges slashing through the room. Nemoto and Chrono's bodies were launched by tendrils across the room, and Chisaki touched them mid-air. His own body exploded along with Nemoto's and Chrono's and reformed as one. A wall constructed in front of the heroes, sectioning off the rest of the room. Simultaneously, Izuku and Mirio shouted, "Eri's still over there!"

On his good leg, Izuku jumped through the wall and Mirio phased through. Ryukyu transformed and smashed through the wall, allowing the rest to move through. They were met with a monstrosity. Chisaki stood in the back of the room holding Eri in one of his now six arms. His plague mask acted as a beak. His body was engulfed in a black material, and black arrows from Chrono's body were attached to his shoulders and ready to strike.

Mirio's eyes widened, "Th-...They fused?" He was shocked out of his stupor by an outpour of lightning engulfing the room. Izuku was crouched down next to him, his face full of anger.

"Give her back!"

"Now why would I do that? She's right where she wants to be. Right, Eri?" The little girl did not give a verbal response. She simply looked down and nodded with tears in her eyes.

"How dar-"

"I wouldn't if I were you." Chisaki whipped out the gun with the "vaccines" inside and placed the barrel against Eri's head.

"You wouldn't. You need her," Izuku said, thinking the gun was filled with regular bullets.

"Like I said, I can heal her. But, I can't do that if you stop me."

Izuku glanced over to Nana and whispered, "You think I'm fast enough to grab the gun before the bullet even leaves the barrel?"

"Not something I would stress test."

"Do I have any other option?"

Nana grimaced, but then steeled her gaze. "Do it."

Izuku took a deep breath and put his visor on. He got into a runner's position, ignoring all pain in his leg. "Deku?" He stopped, and along with everyone else including Chisaki, turned to the right side of the room to see another Eri walking out from the rubble.

Chisaki looked between the Eri in his arms and the Eri at the side of the room. "What the hell?" The Eri in his arms suddenly began to melt. "Wh-...What?!" It was then he realized what was happening. "_ Those league rats!" _ he rasped out. Izuku quickly burst over to Eri and ran back to the group. " _ No...No...No!...NO!" _His voice began to distort as the voices of Nemoto and Chrono became present. It was falling apart, and it was all because of filthy low-life villains.

Mirio stood tall and spoke to Kai, "It's over." His voice showed no fear, but deep down he knew the situation was still dangerous, if not more so. When cornered, people lash out even stronger.

Izuku looked down to Eri, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, and tugged on his costume. Izuku leaned down closer to see what she needed. The little girl put her mouth to Izuku's ear and whispered, "Thank you for saving me…"

Izuku was confused, but responded, "Oh, you're welco-"

"...Izu-Baby." The Eri in Izuku's arms suddenly exploded with a strange goop flying everywhere. From the gel appeared a naked Himiko, her knife jamming into Izuku's shoulder, and her lips finding his.

"Izuku!" Momo shouted. She leaped to him and yanked Toga off of him, but not without Himiko giving Izuku a deep cut by biting his bottom lip and elbowing Momo in the nose as she flipped away. Giggling like a madwoman...because she was, Himiko jumped over some rubble out of sight. "I'll handle her!" Momo said, running after the league member.

Izuku was in a daze, not even registering what had happened. "Wait. If that was Toga…"

Izuku and Mirio looked to each other and both yelled, "Where's Eri?!"

Nejire pulled out her tracking device and shouted, "She's on the surface!"

Chisaki immediately pulled out the other object from Chrono's belt. A quirk enhancement drug. As much as it disgusted him, it was the only option. He jammed the needle into his arm and slammed his hands on the ground. The entire ceiling and the floors above them were eviscerated. Sunlight poured down from the giant gaping hole. The floor engulfed his lower half and shot him to the top floor like a bullet.

Izuku jumped into the air. His leap was so powerful that he made it to the surface. The rest rode on Ryukyu to the top, minus Nejire who flew, and Mirio who phased into a wall and deactivated his quirk to shoot him up topside.

The race was on.

…

Momo kicked down the door to the hallway, revealing Toga doing the final button on her cardigan at the end of the hall. The two stared at one another. Momo with a glare, and Himiko with her usual sadistic grin. Momo furrowed her brow, "What did you do to Eri?"

"It was so easy for Jin to swap her with her clone when the boys were preoccupied."

"Whose side are you on here?"

"We have a common enemy here. Don't let that stop you from fighting me though." Himiko laughed, "I'm much more of a knife girl, but I have to admit…" Suddenly, she revealed Momo's sword from behind her back. She must have taken in when she escaped Momo's grasp. "...This is gorgeous."

"Do you even know how to use that thing?"

"Do you even know how to properly please Izu-Baby?"

Momo scowled, "You know, we didn't properly fight back in your bar. I've been looking for someone to help me prove I've actually improved. And, now with that stunt you pulled with Izuku, I want nothing more than it to be your ass I kick."

Himiko laughed as she pulled out her small knife, dual-wielding it with Momo's sword. "I can't wait to drain you. I'll have enough to replace you and have Izu for myself. I only have a little bit of your blood from the test thing."

Momo furrowed her brow in confusion, but then her eyes went wide, "Camie? That was you?!"

"Oh, said too much. Oh well." Himiko took a stance. "You're not as cute as Izu, but this'll still be fun."

Momo smirked, "Really? Well, do you want to see what happens when your boyfriend is obsessed with heroes and comics?"

_ *SNIK* _

_ *SNIK* _

Momo crossed her arms over her chest as three long blade-like claws were created between each knuckle on each hand. "Adamantium doesn't exist, but a tungsten-silver alloy will do just fine."

Himiko simply laughed, and the two charged.

**A/N: ****Momo with Wolverine claws actually has a drawing (done by yours truly) but I can only post it on Wattpad. FFN can't have images in stories, and I can't figure out how to in A03. So you'll have to go to WP to see it.**

**And hey, it's never been said that Toga can't be children.**


	58. The Raid (Finale)

**A/N: This took so long to write. Each paragraph was rewritten at least 2 or 3 times.**

**I'll just say this.**

**SHIT **

**GETS**

**CRAZY**

"Don't touch her!" Izuku, after launching himself into the air from the basement, collided into Chisaki. His shoulder rammed into the Yakuza boss' side, both of them crashing into the dirt just below the surface. The rest of the group, all riding on the back of Ryukyu, flew past the duo towards the estate above. Three of Kai's six arms slammed into the dirt. Giant tendrils of earth shot into the sky and slammed into the dragons underbelly, knocking her off course and towards the ground. Panicked, Izuku ran up the wall in hopes to catch someone. Ochako grabbed Kyouka and Tsu, using her quirk on herself. She had a couple of officers and Rock Lock on her back or clinging to the others. Nejire took hold of Nighteye and the police chief, along with officers clinging on to her or the others.

But, Ryukyu and multiple other police officers were still falling.

Once on ground level, Izuku skid to a halt. He summoned all of his power into his arms, and Black Whip cracked out of his limbs in a ferocious black mass. It wove its way around Ryukyu's dragon body, barely stopping her before she hit the ground. Other branches broke off of the main whips and grabbed the officers in the air.

Nana lifted her brows, "Huh. I didn't know Black Whip could do that at full power."

Izuku let out a shaky breath as he carefully began to safely lower people to the ground. "Me neither." As Izuku was trying to bring down Ryukyu, Overhaul had already made it to the top, and was running full speed towards the front entrance. Before he could even make it to the ground, Sir escaped Nejire's grip and sprinted after the villain.

Mirio popped up out of the ground and pursued Chisaki as well. The mentor and his student looked past Kai to see terrified looking Twice and Bubble Girl with the latter holding Eri in her arms.

...

_*Clang* _

_*Clang* _

Sweat ran down Momo's face as she slashed her claws again at the psychotic killer. The metal of her own weapons sparking off Himiko's stolen one. Momo jumped up and kicked off of the wall, swiping her claws at Himiko. If Momo wanted a real challenge, then this was it.

It was already obvious that Himiko was combat experienced, and more than likely more experienced than the young hero. The blonde moved with a grace that Momo could only dream of having. No matter how much pressure Momo applied, Himiko never fell behind. Every collision of metal the two made, Himiko was already attempting to make three more. Her mastery of blades was obvious, and it was influencing the fight.

Momo had only been working with weapons for about a year, starting before U.A. She had even less time working with bladed weapons. Himiko had been using blades her entire life, and she wasn't exactly being subtle about it. Momo's irritation only grew as the feeling of being played became more apparent. Himiko parried every attack Momo sent her way, and with each attack she returned with one of her own.

Momo was doing well, but the tears and shallow cuts sparsely scattered around her costume and skin begged to differ.

Himiko deflected another one of Momo's attacks and jumped on to her chest, kicking off of the heroine and flipping away. Momo tumbled back, but regained her footing quickly. Only for Himiko to already be on her. The young heroine was able to block the sword with one hand's claws, but was not able to fully stop Himiko's knife from piercing her shoulder. With her other hand occupied with trying to keep the knife from being dragged over into her chest, the two were at a stand still. The teens were nose to nose.

Shaky breath flowed through Momo's teeth as waves of pain continuously exploded from her left shoulder. "You know what?" Himiko asked, an evil smile creeping on to her features. "The more we do this, the more I'm beginning to realize you _are _really cute."

Momo wiped her brow, "I'll take that as an insult."

"You should. I meant I find you cute, because I find it attractive when someone is helplessly flailing around." Momo gave off a low growl and readied herself. _'C'mon, Momo. Fighting her conventionally won't work. Get creative.' _Himiko had Momo beat when it came to speed, agility, and combat experience. But, Himiko's physique was different. Both were clearly athletic and in peak physical shape for their body type. However, Momo was stronger.

...And had an amazing quirk to help.

Momo pushed back against Himiko. Her hand gripping the wrist of Himiko's knife-wielding hand pushed her away, the knife unsheathing itself from her shoulder. "Ooooh. Strong, too. Now I really like you." Momo grunted as Himiko attempted to push back. A metal plate sprung from her forehead as she slammed it into Himiko's nose. She kicked Himiko back and seethed in pain, grasping her shoulder. Perhaps "small knife" was an under-exaggeration because Momo felt as if her whole shoulder had been torn apart as blood gushed down her arm.

_'I really should learn how to heal myself with my quirk.' _Momo created an ice cube, and then created water, allowing it to run over her puncture wound. It was a shame that blood had no formula for Momo to memorize. Being able to clot her blood quickly would've been really handy. She just had to hope the cold water would work well enough. She kept her eyes on Himiko as she created bandages as fast as she could.

The blonde began poking at her broken nose, blood flowing down the bottom half of her face. She held out her tongue, quickly lapping up any of the red ooze that dripped at her lips with a giggle. Momo grimaced at the sight as she tightened her bandages. It might've been disgusting, but it distracted Himiko long enough. The last thing Momo needed was to bleed out. Once Himiko was satisfied she grabbed her nose, realigning it with a sickening crack.

...She literally ate her pain with a smile.

...Things were not looking well for Momo.

Momo sighed, getting back into a fighting stance. She flinched as moving her arm caused more pain from her shoulder. "This is going to be unpleasant."

Himiko flipped her knife around her fingers, "The only way I like it." Momo once again charged forward. Unknown to Himiko, Momo's bare back began to glow. As Himiko ran towards her, Momo fell down into a slide. Himiko jumped over Momo with ease, her coy smile never leaving her face.

"You do know that continuously running at me isn't going to help, right?" Momo spun around to face the villain. And, much to Himiko's surprise, Momo had freshly created sunglasses on.

"Of course. But, this will." She gestured towards the floor at a trail of powder she had left behind in her sprint. The trail that Himiko was standing over. Fire burst from Momo's hand as it shot at the trail. The flames igniting the flash powder, covering the room in blinding light. Himiko swiftly backtracked down the hall to create distance between the two as her eyes recovered from the flash. As her eyes slowly returned back to normal, Himiko realized she couldn't hear any footsteps or movement in the hall.

_*Crack* _

Himiko jerked to the side as a foot kicked the side of her head. The blonde quickly retaliated with a slash of her sword, but hit nothing except air.

_*Bam* _

Another kick to her back. Himiko growled and quickly dropped to the ground, rolling away from the scene. She blinked hard as the last remnants of the flash powder left her eyes. The villain looked up to see Momo crawling above her, her claws stabbed into the ceiling. Himiko couldn't help, but laugh. She didn't realize that they were going to be so playful. But, if that was how she was going to play it…

Himiko suddenly bolted down the hall. Momo quickly dropped down and followed her. In her pursuit of the villain, Momo quickly pulled out protein bars from her belt and ate them as she ran. After twisting and turning down hallways, Himiko finally ran into a room. Momo followed her through the door to find the Yakuza armory.

Momo's heart sank as she saw all of the guns on shelves lined up like a grocery store. Himiko clearly wasn't a gun person, so hopefully she wouldn-"

_*Ch-Chik* _

_'...Damn it.' _Momo rolled to the side as Himiko emerged from the shadows firing a mini uzi. Momo flipped over the gun racks and hid behind a safe. Himiko's weapon clicked, indicating that the magazine was empty.

Himiko threw it to the side, "So uncivilized."

Momo furrowed her brow in confusion, "Did...you just make a Star Wars reference?"

"Psychotic killers have interests, too."

"Fair enough." Momo flipped back over the safe, advancing on Himiko. The killer grabbed a belt of ammo, swinging it around. Momo dodged under the first hit, but Himiko rolled over her body and wrapped the belt around her neck. Momo began to gasp for air, but created a boxing glove out of her back, hitting Himiko directly in the face.

Himiko looked more annoyed than hurt, "So, you question my references, but you use a cartoony boxing glove gag?"

Momo slashed at Himiko again, but the blonde dodged. "I never said I was proud of it. I'm trying to be more creative." Momo's entire body glowed as metal armor appeared on all of her open areas.

"Oh good. You're going to need that," Himiko said, showing off at least twelve grenade pins on her finger and bolting out the other door. Momo's eyes widened and she jumped for the door.

_***BOOM* **_

The entire armory exploded, sending Momo flying out into another concrete room with craters on each opposite wall. Even with the armor, the wind was completely knocked out of her. She gasped for air as she tried to stand back up, only to find a knife in her thigh. Momo fell back down, seething in pain. Himiko stood over her smiling, she pushed her over and pinned Momo's arms to the ground. "You know, you really were fun. You made this adventure even more amazing." Himiko leaned down and held Momo's cheek. "Maybe I should leave you alive for more future fun." Himiko gasped, "Or I could drain all of your blood so I have a lifetime supply! Then I can be with Izu-Baby! I like that idea. Oooh, but Tomura will be so mad. And Jin will miss me. What do I decide?"

Momo gave a serious glare, "You should sleep on it." Fire erupted from Momo, causing Himiko's hand to pull back. Her free hand pressed to Himiko's chest, metal forming around most of her hand. _'I can't believe Bakugou is saving me.' _She put all of the necessary chemicals in her hand, setting off an explosion.

_***BOOM***_

Himiko was sent flying back and crashing into the wall, falling down in a pillar of smoke. She sat out cold on the ground. Momo dropped her head against the ground. She sighed, "My hand is definitely broken."

"Yaoyorozu?" Momo turned her head to see a muscular Fatgum emerge from a side door. Behind him was an unconscious Kirishima on a bed, a giant Yakuza with huge fists, and a tied up smaller Yakuza. "Wh-...How...How'd you get here?"

"How'd you get skinny?"

Both looked at one another and simultaneously said, "Long story."

Fatgum looked around, "Who were you fighting?"

"Himiko Toga. She's-" Momo sat up to see Himiko was gone, nothing left but a small folder and her sword. Momo got up and walked over to the folder while clutching her broken hand. Inside the folder were files on Eri, and a small note.

_"Thanks for that. I'll make sure you don't win next time. XOXO -Himiko" _

_"P.S: Call me if you and Izu are up for a 3-some" _

After the note was a lip mark where the paper was kissed.

Three questions ran through Momo's mind.

When did she have the time to write that?

How did she get out so fast?

Why did everyone always offer threesomes to her?

Fatgum walked over to her, "C'mon, I'll treat your wounds as best as I can. Don't worry, the Yakuza won't fight." Momo nodded, already creating a cast for herself. "Also, why didn't you just create some sleeping gas?"

Momo facepalmed. 

…

**(Ten Minutes Prior)**

"Okay, this is fine. Everything is gonna be fine. **It's not fine. I'm gonna die.**" Twice finally made it to the front foyer of the estate. Eri, the real one, was still bundled up in Izuku's cape. She was in Jin's arms and was completely confused. "Alright. Here we go." Jin very carefully peeked out the front gate to see a decently large group of police left outside to watch over the captured Yakuza. Katsukame was still unconscious, being restrained on the largest stretcher they had. Bubble Girl was helping load Yakuza into the back of SWAT trucks.

Twice took a deep breath and placed Eri on the ground, lightly pushing her out the door. "C'mon, kid. Go."

Eri responded in a very quiet voice, "I-I-...I can't."

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me. Listen, we really don't have time for this."

"But, I-I have to go back. Everyone will die if I don't."

Jin flailed his arms around in agitation, "Newsflash! People are going to die anyway. He's still going to kill everyone no matter if you go back or not!"

"No! I have to-"

"Okay, we're not doing this right now." Jin picked up Eri and placed her outside. _Pssst! PSSST! Hey!" _

Hearing the noise, Bubble Girl turned back around towards the front entrance. "What th-...Eri?!"

Only Twice's arms emerged from the gate, pointing down at Eri, "Take her!"

_***KRRSCCH!***_

Jin's eyes went wide as the most of the estate suddenly erupted open. From the dirt and debris emerged a giant dragon which was suddenly hit out of the sky, and then a manic-looking, six-armed, black-veiled, monster that used to be Chisaki who immediately made eye-contact with Twice. "GIVE HER BACK!"

"Holy shi-..." Jin kicked open the door, grabbing Eri and running to the police. "TAKE HER! TAKE HER! TAKE HER! TAKE HER!" Bubble Girl stared at him in shock at Twice, but quickly switched all of her attention towards the monstrosity that was running right for them. Jin shoved Eri into her arms. "NO TIME TO EXPLAIN JUST GO!"

"What am I going to do?! All I have are bubbles!"

_***CRASH***_

Both turned around to see Chisaki smash through the doors and parts of the wall. Two of his arms picked up the remains of the gate and threw it at the group. Bubble Girl shoved Twice to the ground along with herself and Eri. "Get down!" The door smashed through the windshield of a police car, glass shattering everywhere. Kai charged at the trio, but was stopped as Lemillion flew out of the ground, kicking the Yakuza boss in the jaw. He stumbled to the side, but quickly fought back. But, Mirio simply phased through every swipe of Kai's hands. Bubble Girl began making all of the SWAT trucks containing prisoners leave.

The blonde kicked him in the stomach, forcing Kai further from Eri. A seal stamp rocketed into the back of Chisaki's head just as Mirio landed an uppercut.

Kai growled to himself. Clearly fighting someone he couldn't touch was getting him nowhere, and it wouldn't get any better when the green-haired nuisance finally returned to the fight.

Perhaps some assistance was required.

Nighteye continuously threw seal stamps, keeping Chisaki distracted so Mirio could keep his assault up. After fusing with two people and taking the quirk enhancers, Kai was scarier than ever. He was becoming more frustrated and manic by the second. Even for Nighteye, he was becoming unpredictable. But, the two bottom arms on Kai's torso jabbed the ground, spikes flying everywhere. Mirio simply phased through them, but everyone else had to either back up or take cover. A few officers got injured and all of the cars were lifted off the ground, impaled by the rock.

Kai launched his arrows at Mirio, and the blonde sunk into the ground. But, he wasn't aiming for Mirio. The arrows weaved their way through the rocks and spikes, finally finding their target. They cut straight through the restraints on Katsukame's stretcher. "WAKE UP, KATSUK-"

"SMASH!" Like a streak of light, Izuku suddenly rocketed on to the scene, fist slamming into Chisaki's face. Overhaul zoomed down the street, slamming into the concrete with dust and debris flying everywhere. Twice, still hiding near a police car, watched the ensuing chaos and nodded to himself.

"I think this is my cue to leave." He ran further into the neighborhood, heading for the rendezvous point he and Himiko agreed upon.

Back at the fight, Nighteye made his way over to Izuku and Mirio. "Where are the rest?" Sir asked.

Izuku responded with, "They're evacuating the neighborhood. They should be back soon. Most of the people already left during the commotion."

"Good. The last thing we need is civilian casualties." Chisaki emerged from the crater he was placed in, and he didn't have a scratch on him.

Nana appeared and scoffed, "Damn, he's durable. You hit him hard."

"It's his quirk. He heals nearly instantaneously," Izuku muttered under his breath. "...And he looks pissed." Izuku looked over his shoulder, "Bubble Girl! Get Eri out of here!"

The aqua-skinned woman looked around at all of the flipped or destroyed cars. "Yeah, that's gonna be a problem!" She tightened her grip on the struggling Eri. "It also doesn't help that Eri _REALLY _doesn't want to leave!"

Izuku frowned, _'There has to be some way to get through to Eri.' _

Kai placed all six arms on the ground. "RAAAAH!" He was already powerful. But, with the enhancer in his system, he was devastating. Almost like a ball dropping into water, the ground beneath him rippled into a giant wave of destruction. The ground cracked, houses fell, jagged spikes and small hills and mountains shot out of the ground. Izuku quickly jumped into action, using Black Whip he grabbed everyone he could. Mirio already vanished underground. Izuku jumped high into the air. The neighborhood beneath them, along with some of the estate, crumbled away into a barren canyon. Katsukame, still unconscious, was sucked under the rubble and brought back up at Overhaul's feet.

Izuku fell back down to the ground, his heart racing as he released everyone from Black Whip's grip. He looked at the now concrete deathtrap that used to be a nice suburb, hoping that everyone had been evacuated. He released his grip on all of the people he held with Black Whip.

Sir turned to Bubble Girl. "Forget about vehicles. You and the rest of the officers just get out of here. Check in with Ryukyu's team. If everyone hasn't been evacuated yet, you and Centipeder take over for them. Get that team back he-"

Bubble Girl tried to run, but Eri began struggling even harder. "No! They'll die! I have to go back!"

Izuku was about to take off towards Overhaul again, but Sir put a hand on his shoulder. "Wait." He turned to Mirio, "Go. Just distract him. Stay intangible. I'll be there in a second." Mirio took off, diving into the ground. Sir waved Bubble Girl over. "Get over here and give Eri to Midoriya. Then, go help Ryukyu."

Izuku's eyes went wide. "Wh-What?! Why?!" Eri was placed in Izuku's arms, and Bubble Girl ran off with Centipeder. "I-? I should be fighting Chisaki!"

"You will. But, I need you to do something first. You need to get through to Eri."

"But-"

"You're the only one who can get through to her. If you don't, then we're all doomed." Mirai's eyes shifted colors, signifying his quirk was in use. "Trust me. You need to do this."

"What about you and Mirio! You two-"

"Can handle ourselves. We'll keep him occupied until you get back. Go!"

Izuku looked back and forth between Mirio fighting Chisaki, and Mirai. "I...I...Are you certain your premonition is right?"

Sir began to walk towards the fight, but gave Izuku one last serious glare, "I. Am. Certain. This is the only way to save everyone."

Izuku began fighting himself internally. He felt another hand on his shoulder. Nana looked down at him and said, "I don't like it either, but if this is really what he saw in the future, and it leads to Chisaki being stopped then…"

Izuku shook his head, but sighed, "I...I'll...I won't go far."

"Good. Just hurry."

Izuku took off towards the estate grounds. Sir straightened his tie and took out more stamps, one between each finger. He sighed, "So much for changing the future." He charged towards the battle, throwing one stamp with all of his might. The stamp hit Chisaki directly in the eye, allowing Mirio to deal a strong right hook to the Yakuza boss' jaw. Kai sent out arching tendrils at his assailants, both doing their best to dodge. Overhaul created more tendrils all around his body, looking like a concrete octopus. Mirio phased through most of the attacks, but Kai knocked him off balance by sweeping at his feet, the only part of his body keeping him above ground. Mirio quickly fell through the ground just before Kai impaled him with multiple spikes.

Sir was weaving through every attack, slowly inching his way towards Chisaki, each attack already playing out in his head. _'He'll try to send up a spike from below me. Respond appropriately to get closer.' _Sure enough, a concrete dagger shot up from below him. Sir flipped back and used the spike's elevation and movement to propel himself further by jumping off at the end of it. He weaved his way through the tendrils, only being grazed by the rocks. He finally made it to Chisaki, but kept a bit of a distance. No matter how well he dodged, he didn't want to risk going up against six giant arms that could kill him in a single touch. _'Mirio will reappear, giving me three extra seconds to advance.' _Mirio jumped out of the ground from behind Chisaki, sending a hard kick to the back of the villain's head. Sir made it directly in front of Chisaki, his head jerked forward from Mirio's kick. _'First, distract target.' _He tossed one of his stamps directly between Chisaki's eyes, the boss' eyes following for a quick second. _'Next: Discombobulate.' _Mirai slammed the heels of his palms into the sides of Chisaki's head, just at his ears. _'Dazed, he'll attempt a wild slash with his claw. Dive down.' _He quickly dropped to the ground before he could be touched and destroyed. _'Cross to left cheek.' _He quickly jumped back up and sent his fist just where he predicted he should. _'Mirio will once again appear behind him. Give Mirio an opening. So, discombobulate.' _

Once again, he hit Chisaki on the sides of his head. "Stop doing that!" Mirio jumped back out, but Overhaul launched himself up into the air on a pillar. He created another giant pillar to stand next to him, but immediately shattered it into large pieces, raining down boulders on the duo. Mirio smirked to himself. Without even knowing it, Chisaki had given him the perfect opening. "Sir, do-?" Mirai moved to a spot where no rocks seemed to be falling towards. "Yeah, he's got this." Mirio dived under the ground, reappearing at the base of Chisaki's pillar. He slid inside and deactivated his quirk, launching himself upwards. He fired out at the top, reactivating his quirk as he passed through Kai. Clasping his hands together, he slammed his double-handed fist down on top of the villain's head.

He kicked off Kai, sending him off of his own pillar. They both fell to the ground, Mirio falling right through the earth and Chisaki using his claws to grab on to the pillar and slow down his fall. He hit the ground with his mind racing. Mirio was easily the most problematic of the two. Nighteye couldn't dodge forever, he'd be destroyed eventually. But, Mirio was no ordinary sick man. He was a man who had completely mastered his illness. There was no chance of touching him.

Unless…

Kai wanted to save the only bullet he had on Deku, but he was in a bit of a bind. Besides, Lemillion was just as deluded and sick as the rest of them, if not moreso. He turned his gaze over to Lemillion, who had just come back out of the ground about a dozen meters away. Mirio would just phase right through the bullet, except if he was trying to be hit. Near Lemillion, Nighteye climbed over the boulders that had fallen. An idea formed in Kai's mind. His bottom left arm went behind his back, gripping the gun. "It's a shame really."

Mirio lifted his brow, not attacking and staying back for a moment. Kai had a look in his eye that made him cautious. "What is?"

"After today, I'll likely have to start my research over from scratch. At the very least I have most of it committed to memory. Although, I could use some help. My final product hasn't been test driven." He whipped out the gun, aiming it directly at Mirio.

The blonde deadpanned, phasing his own hand through his body. "Seriously?"

"Heh, yes…" He switched his aim to Nighteye. "Very seriously."

Mirio's eyes went wide, "No!" He dived underground, the gun firing. There was no loud bang, but a burst of air.

For Sir Nighteye, everything slowed down. He watched as Mirio began to emerge from the ground as he became tangible, ready to take the bullet for him. Perhaps it wasn't in his power to change the future.

But, perhaps it didn't matter. This was his fate.

And he was okay with that.

Barely even out of the ground, Nighteye grabbed on to Mirio's chestpiece. He twisted them around, switching their positions.

_*Thnk* _

A sharp pain stabbed into Mirai's back, his knees slightly buckling as he fell against his pupil. A strange sensation flowed through his bloodstream. Sir felt as if a part of him completely shut down. Mirio regained his bearings, unsure of what happened until he felt Mirai fall against him. "S-...Sir?"

…

Once in a relatively intact room, Izuku quickly placed down Eri on a small couch and the two looked at one another. "Wait...How am I supposed to get through to her?"

Nana simply shrugged. "I'm good with kids, but a traumatized child is a whole different story...also I'm dead."

Izuku deadpanned, "Thanks." He turned back to Eri, looking at him with a mix of fear and confusion in her eyes. "Um...I'm not talking to myself, I swear."

"Oh wow. That's exactly what you say to a scared kid to make yourself seem sane."

Izuku sighed and got on his knees in front of Eri. "Eri, yo-"

"Take me back!"

"No, Eri it-"

"You're all going to die! You're going to die because of me!" Eri truly was a broken record. She was completely trapped in the mindset that Chisaki killed people because of her. He needed to calm her down before he could really talk to her. So, he did the only thing he knew how to do in that situation.

"Don't worry!" Eri looked back up at Izuku, a wide smile adorning his face. "Everything's going to be alright, because I am here!" The only response he got out of Eri was a look of confusion. She somewhat backed up in her seat. "U-Uh...I…" That was all he knew. It worked on him as a kid, then again he had never been in Eri's situation before. And, the more he thought about it, smiling definitely wasn't going to work in the scenario they were in. Eri knew Chisaki more than he did, and likely saw a lot of death and destruction. Sadly, it was mostly her own death.

She didn't believe him in the slightest.

The last thing Izuku needed Eri to believe was that he was a liar. If he smiled and acted as if he had control of the situation and then failed, then it would just make everything worse for her. It would be like if All Might had suddenly failed in a fight. Everyone would be even more panicked then before, and would have no way to fend for themselves due to their reliance on...Oh.

Izuku flashbacked to everything Nana had said. It wasn't that he didn't believe her at first, but now he was seeing it first hand. He was seeing the prime example of when smiling fails. A plastic smile had no true connection. There was no heart. Izuku sighed, "Eri, I need you to listen to me." His smile was wiped away from his features. "My name is Izuku Midoriya. I know you're scared." He took her hand in his, "So am I." Eri met his gaze, her tears subsiding for a moment. "I'm downright terrified. But, being so afraid that you can't even help yourself doesn't help anybody. You can't go back to Chisaki."

"But-"

"We'll die? Eri, you need to see that it doesn't matter whether Chisaki has you or not. He's going to try to hurt us, just as he wants to hurt everyone else."

Eri shook her head, "But, it's because of me."

"Last I checked, we got ourselves into this mess."

"I ran away and ran into you. And now you came to take me."

"No. We're here to save you. And we were trying to find Chisaki before we even knew about you. We would've gotten ourselves into this situation whether we met you or not. And we came here because we care. You need to get out of here."

Eri looked down at the floor, "But, I'm a curse. I kill everyone I come into contact with."

"Is that what Chisaki told you?" She nodded. Izuku gestured down to their hands, "I'm touching you, and I'm perfectly fine." Eri looked down at his injured leg. "...Mostly okay. But, I got this injury because of my own screw up." He took hold of Eri's bandages, "May I?"

She looked hesitant, but nodded. "Okay."

Izuku unraveled the wrappings, inch by inch her scars were revealed. The teen sighed, "Look at what he's done to you. I'm going to stop him. I promise. You...You probably believe you deserve these scars, don't you?" She was silent, but Izuku knew the answer. He tapped the black screen on his knuckles, his Full Gauntlet retracting on his right arm. He slid his arm next to her's. Both looked down at their arms, their scars similar to one another's. "I know what it's like to be hurt by others. I know what it's like to feel as if you're cursed. To feel as if you don't belong anywhere, that you're not worth the effort." He placed her arm over his. "I may not have the same horrific experiences as you do, but I understand you. I was stubborn, too. I was so stuck in my way of thinking that I couldn't see what was really going on around me. Now it's your turn. Can't you see that all of these people are willing to risk their lives just to rescue you? Doesn't that mean something? If you were really a curse, why would we be here? Why would I be sitting here right now?"

"But-"

"If you're cursed, then so am I. And so is Chisaki. And so is everyone else. Whatever your quirk is, it doesn't make you a monster. What makes someone a monster is how they use it. Chisaki is a monster." He took both of her hands in his, their rough hands together. "You're a little girl who deserves so much more than this life. You deserve to never be hurt again. You deserve to be saved. But, I can't do that if you're always running back to Chisaki. I can help you. I just need you to trust me."

Eri looked at Izuku, she felt nothing but honesty in his gaze. She had only ever seen deceit and evil in the eyes of the Yakuza. But, she felt something different from Deku. She saw right through his smile at the beginning. Oddly enough, knowing that he was scared too was comforting. Knowing that he was scared, but so calm and in control made her feel calm. It made her truly feel like he could handle it. If he was just as scared as she and handling it, then maybe she could, too. Izuku held her gently, with care. He gave her the small red disk. He actually came for her like he promised. She looked back down at his scars. Maybe...

"...Okay."

Izuku's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Y-...Yes. I'll go with you." Izuku was almost shocked. He had really done it. And it was just by…

...being himself.

He didn't have to act like All Might. Not like Deku. Just himself. Momo's words rang in his mind.

_'You're separating Izuku and Deku.' _

The recently recurring feeling of lightness filled the pit of Izuku's stomach once more.

_*BOOM* _

Izuku turned around at the noise. He needed to get back. "C'mon, let's go." He picked up Eri and bolted out of the room. But, as he ran through the halls, one of the doors suddenly busted open. Izuku readied himself to fight, but stopped as Momo, Kirishima, and Fatgum all emerged from the stairwell, Kirishima on Fatgum's back. "Momo!"

"Izuku!" She ran over to him, hugging him close.

"Ow."

Momo paused and looked down to see she was squishing Eri in between them. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Eri."

"Not to break things up..." Fatgum said. "...but, we really should be going." Both teens nodded, following the pro down the hall.

…

"I'm...I'm fine." Mirio dropped himself and Sir down to their knees. He looked over Sir's shoulder and saw the small metal cylinder sticking out of his back. He took hold of the object and carefully pulled it out, gazing in horror at the needle sticking out of the end.

"...N-No...Sir."

"Mirio!" The blonde turned around to see Nejire and Ryukyu flying down towards the battle, Ochako, Tsu, and Kyouka on the dragon's back. Nejire zipped over to her friend, "We got everyone out in time before that destruction blast thing. We're here to-...Mirio?"

Izuku with the Fatgum team emerged from the remainder of the estate, all stopping at the sight of Sir and the bullet Mirio was holding. Izuku couldn't help but feel guilt wash over him. He could've stopped the bullet easily, but...did Sir already know he was going to get shot?

"Of course." Everyone turned to Chisaki as he spoke. "Out of everyone who's quirk is taken away, it's yours."

Mirio furrowed his brow, "You...You bastard!"

"Why is everyone just standing around?" Nighteye suddenly stood up straight. "My quirk is gone? So, what? That doesn't mean you all stand around and gawk."

Ryukyu walked forward, baring her fangs, her wings spread out. "He's right."

Rock-Lock cracked his knuckles, "Let's show this monster what it really means to be sick."

Kai looked all around him. The heroes all surrounded him with quirks of all kinds. He stood no chance. However, it's like the saying goes.

When you back an animal into a corner, it attacks its hardest.

"You want a monster? I'll give you a monster."

Chisaki placed his hands into the ground, sinking underneath with the earth covering him back up. Fatgum shouted, "Where'd he go?!"

"I'm on it!" Kyouka stabbed her jacks into the ground, listening for movement. "He's on the move. He's beneath…" Kyouka's eyes went wide. "Over there!" A black-clawed hand burst out from the ground over by Katsukame's unconscious form, destroying him. His remains followed the hand underground, the concrete recovering the hole.

Nana began looking around, "Yeah, even I can't see that."

Kyouka shouted, "He's one the move again! He's beneath…" Her eyes went wide. "No." The hand burst from the ground once more, grabbing Kyouka by the face…

...Destroying her instantly.

Just like Katsukame, her remains were dragged back under the ground. In shock, everyone froze. Momo had tears in her eyes, and if they saw her, then most would believe that Ochako was truly broken beyond recovery. Her eyes were wide, her hands covering her mouth, he knees giving way. Eri shoved her face into Izuku's chest, unable to look. Izuku was the only one able to somewhat speak, "He...He jus-..." He shook his head, "He has her quirk now. He knows where we're standing! Everybody mo-"

But, it was too late.

Ryukyu was next.

This time however, it wasn't just his hand. Chisaki's newly formed massive body jumped out of the ground from behind the dragon, grabbing her wings and eviscerating her in the blink of an eye alongside Kai's own body. They merged as one. Nejire screamed, "Ryuko!"

Chisaki's body was covered in rock, dozens and dozens of rock arms sprouted from his body and all around. Katsukame's concrete engulfed body acted as his lower half. Kyouka's jacks stuck out of his earlobes, Ryukyu's giant wings spread out on his back as he flew into the air, his skin partially covered in scales. Izuku shouted, "Everybody get out of here!" Izuku handed Eri to Momo, "Go! I'll handle this!"

Nejire tried to blast Chisaki out of anger, but some of the arms sprung out of the ground and grabbed her out of mid-air. They dragged her into Chisaki, the villain hugging her to his body and merging. Mirio screamed, "NO!" He was about to dive under the ground, but Sir grabbed his cape.

"Don't risk it!"

"But-"

"We have to go!" He said, dragging Mirio away along with all of the heroes. The blonde thought about phasing, but Sir was right. Nejire couldn't be avenged if his anger made him sloppy and he died. Chisaki screamed into the sky. The roar of Ryukyu yelling out with his own voice, Nejire's shockwaves firing out of his arms. The rock arms began to follow the heroes, but Izuku broke through every last one. Izuku fired off a blast of energy, knocking the monster back. Both stood still, staring the other down.

Izuku grit his teeth, "You...You killed them. _You killed them _. How many? How many atrocities do you have to commit before you stop? How many of my friends have to die?! I'll...I'll…"

Chisaki's strained voice hissed out of the new being he was. _"You'll what?" _

Izuku took a deep breath. He thought about everything he had done to Eri, Nighteye's quirk being taken away, and now the lives of his friends that Chisaki had taken. His rage overtook all of his senses. Whether he meant it or not no longer mattered.

"...I'll kill you."

"_I__s that so? _"

Izuku put his mouthguard up, his visor going over his eyes. His power rose all the way as his gauntlets activated. "I promise."

Before Kai even knew what had happened, he was suddenly flying into the air with a gaping hole in his chest. Izuku was back down on the ground, his fist outstretched and steaming. Chisaki reformed his body instantly, staying in the air with his wings and Nejire's quirk. Izuku jumped, the ground beneath him quaking. He passed Chisaki in the air, going above the clouds. He punched at the sky, rocketing himself back down. He dive-bombed towards Chisaki, but his tendrils and arms shot into the sky at Izuku along with Nejire's shockwaves. He was able to maneuver past the arms, but the shockwave covered too wide of an area to dodge on his own.

Izuku was jostled. Nana yelled out next to him, "Izuku, look out!" With his guard down, an arm shot out through the clouds to Izuku's right. He batted it away with ease, but was slammed in the side by another. Izuku took the opportunity to grab on to the fist, and run down the length of the arm towards Chisaki. He vanished from sight, only reappearing to deliver a strong kick to the villain's face, sending him crashing to the ground. Izuku landed back down amongst the rubble.

He stood up straight, zooming back over to Chisaki. But, just before he could get there, Kai fired off shockwaves in all directions. They pushed Izuku back and sent Kai back into the air. He hid behind a half broken wall as he tried to come up with a plan. "Damn it. Those shockwaves are giant. And as long as we're in the air, he has an advantage over me. I can't maneuver around up there. At least, not like I can down here. He has a much better chance at touching me up there. My speed means nothing in the air."

Nana smirked, "It will soon."

"Wha-" A shockwave blast suddenly fired at the ground, knocking Izuku off of his feet. Chisaki slammed his body into the ground with Izuku just barely being able to dodge. But, he was still off of the ground, so Chisaki's tendrils managed to fire into Izuku's torso and send him flying. Over the broken down buildings and streets, Izuku landed right next to the retreating group of heroes. "Ow." Momo, still holding Eri, ran over to Izuku and helped him up. "Just keep going. I've got this covered. Get out of here!" As the rest of the heroes minus Momo ran off, he covered his stomach as he felt bruises begin to form.

...That was, until the pain suddenly vanished.

Izuku looked down in confusion to see his body covered in little sparkles and white sparks. He quickly looked over at Eri to see her with tears in her eyes, her horn emanating the power. The pain in his leg suddenly vanished, too. Izuku backed away and took off his bandages. His injury was completely healed. He looked up at Eri in astonishment. Momo quickly put her down for Izuku to go to her. "Is...Is this your quirk?" Eri nodded. "Eri...that's incredible! That's not a curse, it's a blessing."

"But, I can't control it."

Izuku turned to see Chisaki fly higher into the sky, his eyes meeting Izuku's. "Then we balance it out." Izuku deactivated his gauntlets, taking them off and handing them to Momo.

Momo's eyes widened, "What are you doing?"

"Something completely reckless. So, either saving the day or dooming myself. If I die out there, put on the gauntlets and…" Izuku plucks one of his hairs, handing it to her. "...Eat this." Izuku crouched down and gently took Eri's hand in his scarred one. "Eri...I need you." She looked over at Chisaki, terrified. "I know. I'm scared, too. But, you can save me. You can save everyone. I can't do this alone." Eri looked Izuku in the eye, and nodded her head.

Izuku took his cape back from Eri, wrapping it around his body in a makeshift sling. He picked Eri up and placed her inside, right against his back. Momo felt the ground shake, Izuku's hair began to light up and flicker in a cyan light. His pupils went white as more energy poured out of them. His body felt like it was on fire. If Eri wasn't there, Izuku was certain that he would've died just by breathing. He took a deep breath as his sleeves tore away into cinders. Izuku looked over to Momo, "Go."

She grabbed his face and kissed him hard. "Don't die. I love you."

"I'll try. I love you, too." Momo took off, running off to where the group went. Izuku looked back up towards the villain. Even as he was, Chisaki's flight was a dangerous advantage. Unless…

"Nana? When you said, "It will soon"...?" Nana simply smirked at him. Izuku thought back to what Nana said in the room at Nighteye's agency.

_"Didn't you see me floating before?" _

Izuku thought back to all of the times where talking to Nana, resolving some issue in his mind or feeling free allowed him to feel lighter. He remembered when he used his full power for the first time and he had suddenly stopped midair. "No...way."

It all led back to feeling free.

When he had helped Nana with her struggles, he was free of the emotional struggle and guilt of learning what had happened with her son.

When he used his full powers for the first time, he was finally free of restraint

When he talked to Eri, he realized that he couldn't separate himself from his hero persona. He shouldn't be a symbol of false smiles and fighting alone. He realized his emotions weren't weaknesses, but they were what showed his humanity, bringing him down to Earth. Showing emotion made him strong. Made him like everyone else. Proof that anyone could be a hero.

He was free of his expectations.

He didn't need to be a larger than life symbol.

He needed to be a symbol that represented life itself.

Deku.

Izuku Midoriya.

Not a god. A human.

Just himself.

Izuku's eyes went wide as he suddenly no longer felt the ground. He looked down to see he was floating a few feet above the ground. It was as if there was a gust of wind in his gut that he could move in any direction. He tugged on that feeling, lifting himself upward.

Back with the group, ambulances and back-up police began to arrive at the edge of the crater. Fatgum carefully placed Kirishima down and looked back at the battle, his eyes widening. "Uh, Yaoyorozu? Your boyfriend is flying."

Izuku looked up the monstrosity before him. Every breath he took felt like it would make him explode, but Eri's gift was keeping him steady. Nejire's powers and Ryukyu's wings were going to make him an even more formidable enemy in the air, but his rock body would hopefully keep him slow. Izuku would be fast, but he couldn't go as fast as possible. He had Eri to think about. Eri could get hurt at full speed. The whiplash would be more than enough to cause her harm. The only problem was Katsukame's quirk. He could steal Izuku's stamina, only making him stronger. But, with Eri with him, he had all the strength to give.

Besides, all he had to do was take him down before he could take too much.

He placed a hand on Eri's head, "Are you ready, Eri?"

She shook her head, "No."

"Me neither." Izuku rolled his shoulders and looked up to Kai. Both stared the other down, each with their own visions of justice and vengeance on their minds. Izuku held Eri steady with one arm, taking a deep breath. "...Go!" Izuku fired off like a bolt of lightning, Kai followed the duo as they ran further down the now destroyed streets of the abandoned neighborhood. Izuku's feet lifted off of the ground, his body feeling lighter than air.

"GRRAAAAAH!" Chisaki's lost mind was making him wild. There was a possibility that the people he merged with are still alive and aware. All of those personalities in one mind were taking its toll. Chisaki was probably fighting for control. The villain dived down and dragged his hands in the dirt. Dozens of tendrils arched out of the ground, jabbing at Izuku in the sky. Izuku dodged and weaved each tendril with ease. He flew through another dust cloud, speeding up to gain some distance. He turned back to face the oncoming assailant.

"Now it's our turn." Izuku breathed in deep, lightning flowing excessively around his body. "HAH!" Energy exploded around him, he flew directly at Chisaki. He avoided all the attacks, landing a solid punch to Chisaki's jaw, and a strong body shot. Izuku slammed Kai on the head, the monster falling and crashing into the ground, rocks and debris flying back up into the sky. Izuku brought his hand together, energy and lightning flowing into his hands. Every ounce of power he had emitted in the light he produced. Izuku flipped back multiple times in the air. He raised his hands to the sky, bringing them to his chest, and then firing his energy towards the ground. "RAAH!"

Hundreds to thousands of energy bolts rocketed into the ground and on to Chisaki. Izuku was pushed back by his own force, flowing through the air as he shot his blasts. Aggravation grew as Kai was pelted down and burned by the blasts. He screamed and activated his main quirk and Nejire's. The bolts of energy dissipated, and shockwaves fired back into the sky. Izuku crossed his arms over his body, taking the brunt of the hit. Chisaki launched back up into the sky. Izuku grabbed on to Eri tightly, vanishing out of sight. Kai searched around the battlefield and saw flashes of green appear all around him. He took Kyouka's jacks and plugged them into the speakers in his forearms, sending out a piercing high-pitch noise.

Izuku stopped mid-flight to cover his ears, yelling at Eri to cover her own. Kai took the opening and flew swiftly towards his opponents. Izuku quickly retaliated by sending another blast of lightning his way. With Izuku continuously firing energy and Kai using Overhaul, the two quirks were at a stalemate and exploded. Sparks of energy littered the sky. Chisaki flew at the two, one of his black claws slamming into Izuku, driving the teen backwards in the air. Izuku could feel his body begin to deconstruct, Eri's quirk barely fending off Overhaul. Eri saw Izuku's skin begin to disappear, and she panicked. "NO!"

Her quirk flared, not only repairing Izuku's wound, but also hitting Chisaki for a second. The white lightning and stardust flung towards Chisaki in defense. Suddenly, the piercing noise vanished, along with Kai's jacks and his stereos. Izuku looked down to see Kyouka's unconscious body falling towards the ground, only to quickly be caught by Mirio emerging from the ground. Izuku, in a quick burst of speed, flew away from the fight to look down in amazement. Mirio checked Kyouka's pulse and shouted, "She's alive!"

Izuku watched as a sobbing Ochako ran to her and held her. Newfound hope filled Izuku's heart. He watched as Chisaki himself was trying to decipher what had happened. It seemed too good to be true, but he was looking right at it.

Eri had reversed Overhaul's fusion.

"Eri? Do you think you can do that again?"

"I...I-I don't know."

"Just take whatever you were feeling in the moment that you did that, and try it again whenever Chisaki is near. That girl down there, you just saved her life. Your quirk, your _gift _, saved her. All I ask of you is to try, and you might just save us all."

"O-...O-Okay!"

"Alright. Let's do this!" Brighter than a star, Izuku exploded with light. He zoomed towards Chisaki, swerving and ducking more concrete tendrils and shockwave blasts. He flew high above Overhaul, diving back down delivering an axe kick to his head. He sent two hooks into Chisaki's face, lifting the villain off of the ground. Their battle continued to gain altitude, until Kai exploded with Nejire's energy, quickly trying to grab on to the jostled Izuku. Eri's heart hammered in her chest as Overhaul's face got nearer to hers. Her power gave off an unstable burst, a wave of stardust slamming into Chisaki's chest. Suddenly, his fangs, scales, and wings vanished from his body. Izuku looked down to see Ryukyu falling to the Earth. It was working.

Izuku kicked off of the villain, sending down another rain of lightning. Chisaki wiped them away, the energy destroyed. The two flew at one another, Izuku's fist colliding with Overhaul's, the villain using Nejire's quirk at the same time. The collision caused a shockwave that caused the clouds in the sky to vanish and the ground to shake. Eri's quirk pulsed once more, Nejire ripping from Chisaki's body. With no quirks left to allow him to fly, Kai fell to the ground. Izuku flew down and landed on the ground far away from Chisaki.

The villain rose from the rocks, his concrete raising him high up. Izuku watched as Mirio took Nejire off of the battlefield. All of his friends were accounted for. All that was left inside were Chisaki and the other Precepts of Death. Izuku rolled his shoulders and smiled.

No more holding back.

Overhaul's tendrils fired at Izuku. The teen ran directly at the villain with two energy bolts in his hands, jumping over Chisaki and landing on the other side. Izuku threw both of his bolts at Overhaul, both slamming into the villain and making him stumble. Izuku charged his hands and fired off hundreds more small blasts, each hitting their target dead on.

Izuku raised his hand high into the air, the colors of One For All flowing inside of him. But, just like he did with the rest of his energy, he took that power and forced it outside of him. The colors all flowed together into a rainbow ball of energy in his hand. Izuku gripped the power and fired it at Chisaki. The energy slammed straight into Chisaki, the explosion of color ripped through the surroundings and finally lit up and exploded. The ground shook as Chisaki's scream tore through the air, dust and debris flying all around.

All was quiet after that blast. Izuku let out a breath he had been holding. He dropped to his knees, doing his best to keep breathing and moving so Eri's quirk didn't overtake him. Suddenly, pain shot through him. Eri's power began to fluctuate. Izuku quickly put his hand over hers, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. Soon, her power balanced back out with his own. "Wow. Okay, that was a close one."

"S-Sorry."

"It's alright. Now that that's over, we sho-"

"AAAAAAAHHH!" The debris exploded, Chisaki emerged looking more pissed than hurt.

"Oh, right. Healing powers." Overhaul sped his way towards Izuku, the teen quickly jumped in the air and came back down, landing a heavy kick to Overhaul's chest. Before Kai could counter, Izuku slammed his other foot into his ribs and sent him flying back. The Yakuza boss slowed himself by dragging all of his arms on the ground, sending more rocks at Izuku. Without breaking a sweat, Izuku swiftly dodged all of them and advanced on Kai. Deku slammed his fist into Kai's face, sending him back once more. Kai tried to send another barrage of attacks, but Izuku was already on him and sending jabs and knees all over the villains body.

Izuku's fist glowed as he slammed his fist into Overhaul's stomach, lighting arching away. Izuku flipped away, landing on his feet. He raised his fist, bringing it down as his power emitted off of him. Izuku flew at Kai, raising is fist. The villain yelled out as he raised his own fist, colliding with Izuku's. Kai was instantly fired back along with most of the landscape, dragging along the ground as he tumbled back. Izuku was picking up his pace, so healing was becoming harder for Chisaki.

Izuku vanished from sight, emerging to slam his fist into Overhaul's stomach again. Black Whip fired out of his arms, engulfing Kai completely and lifting him up in the air. Izuku extended out his arms, crossing them over. His power began to engulf the area around him. "HAAAA!" Izuku put all of the excess energy he had outside of him, shooting his power up directly in Kai.

The pillar of power exploded, a wave of dust hitting the hero group. The light of the explosion shone on all of their faces. Fatgum raised his hand, "Okay, can anyone explain to me what the hell is going on?" Everyone shook their heads. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Sir looked to Momo, "He's going to kill him."

Momo shook her head, "No. No, he's thinking about it. But, he doesn't have the heart."

"Do you know for sure?"

Momo didn't answer him, but simply gave a determined glare.

Back at the fight, Izuku watched as Overhaul fell to the ground completely out cold. He marched his way over to Overhaul, fury etched on to his face. As he reached him, Overhaul suddenly reached up, stretching his arm out to Izuku. "AAAH!" Eri screamed.

But, the teen caught him by the wrist. Overhaul tried the other hand, but Izuku grabbed that one, too. Kai's surprise attack scared Eri, causing her quirk to fluctuate once more. Soon, Chisaki was defused. Chrono, Nemoto, and Katsukame all around his body and completely unconscious. He squeezed down on them, sickening cracks could be heard. But, Kai didn't scream.

Izuku released him as Eri began to fully freak out. Her quirk was increasing and decreasing every second. Izuku started to spasm and fell to the ground. "Rnnngh! E-Eri!" The little girl continued to scream, but was quickly stopped. Izuku's own power shut down as well. His hair went back to normal and his power vanished. The teen turned around to see from far away, Aizawa emerged from the estate grounds holding Tamaki against him. His eyes were red and his hair floated upwards. Eri went limp on his back, her quirk's usage had taken everything out of her. Izuku nodded in appreciation at Aizawa, and turned back to Overhaul.

Izuku grabbed him around the throat and lifted his upper half off of the ground. As he held the limp body of the bloody and broken man by his neck, the hero's glare burned into him. Kai warily gazed up at the boy who defeated him, his broken limbs unable to move. With every pant and gasp he wheezed out, the stare of vibrant and glowing green eyes pushed him further into the dirt.

"So... aren't you going to kill me? One of the symptoms of your disease is keeping your promises, no matter what."

The shadowed hero above him paused. For just a few solitary seconds of silence, the hero said nothing. But, then his fist raised. Red veins of power coursed through his arm, and green lightning circled and sparked off of his body.

_*Crack* _

The sting of the cut along Kai's cheek emanated throughout his face. Izuku's arm sat against his cheek, going past his head. He had punched the ground behind Chisaki, an underground pipe bursting from underground and spraying water. The dirt around them quickly turned into thick mud.

"I always try to keep my promises. But…"

Izuku raised his hand out of the mud, and smeared it across the face of the germiphobe.

"I'm only human."

The chronic, uncontrollable disgust and irritation spread across Overhaul's face. His broken and unmoving arms unable to wipe himself clean brought no end to his agitation. Izuku dropped him to the ground, the mud and dirt covering the villain more. Izuku turned around, walking away from the scene as police and heroes ran forth to capture the villain.

Izuku pulled the makeshift cape sling and brought Eri around to the front of his torso, hugging her unconscious body to his chest. He limped back to the ambulances. As soon as he made it back, he was swept into a crushing hug by Momo. She peppered kisses all over his face until landing on his lips. "I told you I'd try not to die."

"And try you did." Izuku looked around to see Mirio jump into an ambulance with an unconscious Nejire and Tamaki inside, bringing both of them into a tight hug. Ochako and Tsu quickly leaped into the ambulance with Kyouka and Ryukyu. Izuku and Momo made their way over to the ambulance carrying Kirishima inside. Momo hopped inside, then Izuku.

Just as he was about to close the door, Sir Nighteye grabbed on to the handle. "Wait a moment."

The EMT nodded, and went back to addressing any more wounds on Eijirou's body. Izuku turned to Sir, "Thank you, Sir. I'm... I-I'm so sorry about your quirk."

Mirai shrugged his shoulders with a small smile, "You're all alive. So I can't see into the future anymore. Who gives a damn?"

"But...I could've stopped the bullet. If I was jus-"

"Midoriya, first of all, if you hadn't gotten through to Eri and fought alongside her, then many of your friends and the police officers wouldn't be alive right now. You may now have the power to take down any villain, but that doesn't mean you won't also have the responsibility of saving others at a moment's notice. You may have super strength, super speed, flight, and Black Whip. But, that doesn't mean you can do everything. You can't save everyone. You just have to-"

"Save everyone I can." Izuku nodded solemnly, "All Might told me that."

"Yes. And it just so happens that you couldn't save me. No one could. It was my fate. I saw it in my future, just as it was your fate to fight Chisaki with Eri by your side. Mirio is more important. You probably would've sat there overthinking it anyway."

"But, I changed the future. Didn't I? What if I could've changed it there?"

"Or your injured leg would give out before you could reach me. Or maybe you trip on all of the rocks and debris everywhere. Or maybe Mirio would've died. Or maybe Mirio would jump in front of the bullet for me. Or maybe I just didn't want you to. To be frank, I'm quite sick of carrying this burden. All I see is death and destruction that I can't seem to ever do anything about. For once in my life, I don't know what's coming next." Sir chuckled to himself, "And that oddly makes me excited."

"What about being a hero? What about-"

"Midoriya, I've never been able to save anyone who I saw die in their future. I was only able to save those I could. What difference would it make now? I'm not All Might. And, now I realize you're not either." Sir once again laughed and shook his head. "Hell, if you're able to do all of this at your age, then you might just be better." Sir sighed and looked out on the battlefield. "I tried to see things the way you and All Might do. I thought maybe, just maybe, I could change my future. But, now I see I can't. It's not my place to change the future for the betterment of the world." He looked back to Izuku, "It's yours." He then looked at Momo. "And hers." Then to the ambulances carrying the other students. "And theirs. And, they'll need someone to show them the way. To lead them. Perhaps, not a god-like symbol of invincibility and justice…But, maybe just a kid. A kid who fought for everything he earned. A kid who knows what it means to be defeated, but also knows what it means to be victorious. Someone that everyone can look at, and truly believe they can be like; not just in spirit, but someone they really aspire to be." He looked at Izuku again. "Someone who no matter how difficult his life became, he finds hope to push on another day. Someone with emotions, isn't afraid to show them, knows love, knows fear, can be related to. Not a god. Just a human."

Izuku smiled, "You didn't believe a word of anything you just said, did you?"

A smile graced Mirai's face, "Well, you've proved me wrong before. You'd better do it again." Sir closed the car door and banged in the side of it, signalling the driver to go. Izuku watched as Sir began to become farther and farther away, finally disappearing as he entered the ambulance containing Mirio.

Izuku sighed as he leaned back against the interior wall of the ambulance. He reached his hand out to grasp Momo's while his other hand held Eri closer to his chest. He never thought he would see the day where someone lost their quirk and seemed...hopeful. The last thing he felt before falling asleep was what he had to assume was Nana's hand running through his hair and Momo's head on his shoulder.

**A/N: Yeah, Izuku vs Overhaul is mostly in honor of Gogeta vs Broly.**

**In case you missed that.**


	59. RecoveryFor the Third Damn Time

**A/N: Ah, it's good to be back. There are very, and I mean VERY LITTLE of you saying this (at max 3 from what I've seen), but to those saying that they don't want Eri to be taken in by Izuku…**

**...I kinda don't care.**

**I'm sorry, that sounds like I'm trying to be a dick about this. I'm not, I swear. I always take everyone's feedback and implement it in some shape or form when I can. But, for this matter, I REALLY don't care how unrealistic it is. It's happening, and I wouldn't have it any other way. In fact, a lot of this story had set and planned events that I wanted (some things were changed or made on the spot, but not the majority) and this is one of those things. Once I realized I actually wanted to continue this story after the first chapter, Izuku and Momo being the adoptive parents was always set in stone and wasn't going to change.**

**I mean, to any of you who have read my IzuMomo side stories, you ALL already know I can't get enough of the Izuku and Eri family dynamic.**

**But, to the 99.99% of you that not only ask for it, ask me if I'm going to do it, explicitly tell me that it better happen or you'll be angry…**

**Enjoy**

**And to those who read "An Insecure Violet", as you read in the original one shot chapter, Izuku and Kyouka will also become the parents there. In I dunno, like 30 or more chapters from now whenever the Chisaki arc is reached. Kyouka is the best mom for Eri. I have literally written mini essays about why. Fight me. Actually, I've written mini essays about all the ships that work much better than the shitty main "canon" ships that people only like because they're "cute. No one thinks about the dynamics, similarities, differences, or story interests and potential about couples.**

**But, that's a topic for another day. Or, whoever asks about it.**

**This chapter is mostly just another recovery chapter full of simple conversations between people.**

Izuku awoke to the sound of the ambulance doors opening. His mind was still foggy, so all he really processed was being moved out of the vehicle and Eri being taken from his arms. The next thing he knew, he was sitting alone in the doctor's office with a nurse checking him over. "I'm fine, really. It's everyone else you should be worried about."

The nurse chuckled and said, "I'll say. Your friends all came in here looking like hell, but you have a clean bill of health. What happened?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that a little girl with white hair and a horn had healing powers?"

"In any other world, I'd say no."

Izuku hopped down from the table and popped his joints. "Do you know what room Momo Yaoyorozu is in? Black hair in a ponytail, wearing a red suit?"

"I believe I saw her being put into a room a couple of rooms down."

"And Eri? A little girl around 5 or 6 with white hair?"

The nurse shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't know. I'll do my best to get back to you with that information."

"Thank you very much." Izuku left the room and began walking down the hall. He looked around at all of the workers hustling around the halls, no doubt largely due to the sudden surge of heroes and police officers to arrive.

Hospital's were a very mixed-bag for Izuku. On one hand, they were the bearer of bad news. They were places filled with pain and sometimes death. They were always where he ended up whenever something bad happened, either to himself or to his loved ones.

Or both.

On the other hand, they brought so much good. They healed him, gave life, sheltered himself and so many others.

He and Momo had also spent their first night in a bed together at a hospital.

So definitely not bad. One large gray area of life. Izuku couldn't help but chuckle to himself. The term "Morally Gray" had never made more sense to him than it did now.

He walked down two doors and peeked in to see he had reached his destination. Momo sat in a hospital bed, her costume stripped away in place of a gown. Her hand was in a splint and bandages were sparsely placed around her body. "Hey."

Momo turned to look at him, a small smile gracing her features. She outstretched her hand, beckoning her partner towards her. Izuku took her hand and sat down on the edge of the bed. "How're doing?" Momo asked.

"Me? I should be asking you. You're the one in a hospital bed with a broken hand."

She waved him off, "I'll be fine by morning. The doctor's quirk is slow, but efficient. You fought that psychopath, so I'm more worried about you." She pulled his hand, dragging him closer. Izuku sat himself against her, his back propped up on the pillows. Momo placed her head on his shoulder, sighing deeply. "It has been a _very _long day."

Izuku hummed in agreement, "I can't even imagine what it's been like for Eri. I want to find what room she's in, but I doubt I'll be allowed in yet."

"We'll find her. We also really need to check on the others. Kirishima was hurt badly, and being absorbed into that monster must've been terrifying for Kyouka, Hado, and Tatsuma."

"I'm just happy it all worked out. At least, for the most part. The League still got away. Although, they _did _help us."

"Tell that to the stab wound in my leg."

"W-Well, we had a common enemy. I guess even they have their limits."

Momo nodded, "Speaking of someone's limits...You can fly now?"

Izuku rubbed the back of his head with a smile, "More or less. It's supposed to be floating, a weak form of flying around. But, it's also been amplified by One For All's stockpiling...I think."

A hand suddenly laid down on his head and ruffled his hair. Izuku looked up to see Nana floating above him, "More or less."

Momo raised a brow at Izuku before realizing what was going on. "I'm assuming Shimura is here."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I know that gets confusing when it looks like I space out."

"It's alright. Actually, it reminds me of something." In a chair next to her bed, Momo's costume and gear were nearly folded. "Could you grab my larger utility belt for me?"

Izuku's eyes widened, "Wait, those things are belts?"

"...You didn't know that?"

"I've never seen you put anything in it or take anything out. What's even in them?" He reached over and grabbed it, handing it to Momo.

She opened up one pocket and pulled out a protein bar, "Snacks. There are some medical supplies, too. However, I have more important cargo I wanted to talk to you about." Momo opened up a compartment on the belt and pulled out a small vial. Inside the vial Izuku could see a single green hair. His own hair.

"O-Oh, right. I almost forgot I gave it to you."

Momo gazed at the hair with curiosity, "Forgive me if I'm wrong, your quirk is still strange to me. But, is it still usable?"

"Like, if you ate it would One For All pass on to you?"

"Yes. If so, shouldn't we destroy it? Or is that not how it works?"

Izuku rubbed his chin, "I honestly don't know. Since I'm alive and have no intention of giving One For All away, then I think it's useless now."

He looked to Nana, but she only shrugged. "I actually don't know. I've never been in this sort of scenario. Hold on." Nana suddenly vanished from sight.

…

**(One For All)**

"Hey, anybody know the answer?" The other past users all looked around at one another, each looking for an answer. They all shrugged. Nana groaned. "Great. I'm glad to know we're so reliable. Hey, next time he wants help, let's make it even _more _vague," she said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

…

**(Momo's Hospital Room)**

Nana reappeared and said, "Yeah, we got nothin'."

Izuku relayed the info to Momo, and she shrugged, "That's okay. I wasn't really looking for an answer anyway." She kissed his cheek. "I just wanted to say thank you."

Izuku furrowed his brow, "For what?"

"For trusting me so much that I was your first choice to give your power to. It's a huge responsibility."

"Of course. There's no one else I'd give it to...besides Togata. He's definitely next on the list."

"You have a list?"

Izuku nodded and began counting people off on his fingers. "First there's you, then Togata, then Kirishima, then-"

"Kirishima's third?"

Izuku smiled, "He's a great choice. His spirit, his moral and physical strength, his loyalty, his quirk, just everything about him. I may have known Iida and Uraraka longer and I trust them with my life. They're my best friends, but I have to be honest with my choices. If something happened to me, who the quirk goes to next can't be taken lightly. Kirishima is just a better fit."

Momo leaned against Izuku and relaxed into his warmth as she curiously listened to him. "I see. I can't disagree with that. Who's next?"

"You'll be surprised. It's actually Kendo." Izuku went on to explain and further go down his list of candidates. The light through the curtains eventually turned orange, the evening of a long day finally arriving.

Momo eventually fell asleep, exhaustion from the battle finally claiming victory. Izuku wiggled his way out of her hold and made his way out the door. He would return later, he had other things to check up on. Before he left, he took the vial with his hair in it and put it back inside Momo's belt.

If it somehow was still usable, she should keep it with her.

He quietly closed the door behind him, making his way down the hallway in search of the rest of his friends.

…

_*Knock* *Knock*_

Izuku heard Ochako's voice yell, "Come in!"

He opened the door, closing it behind him. Kyouka, Ochako, and Tsu all perked up at his entrance. "H-Hey. I'm just coming by to check up on you gu-AH!" He was immediately tackled into a hug by the brunette.

"Oh my gosh, Deku! We're alive!"

"I-I know. Pretty incredible."

He managed to untangle himself from his best friend. Tsu came over and enveloped him in another hug. "Quite the spectacle you made out there, Midoriya."

"You're telling me. That was the strangest fight I've ever been in." Izuku looked over to Kyouka and approached the bed. He sat himself down on the edge, receiving his third tight hug from the purplette.

"Thank you, Green Bean. Thank you so much." Her voice was quiet, but she sounded mostly okay.

"Don't thank me. It was Eri's power that saved you. Are you going to be okay?"

Kyouka scoffed, "Well, I died for a few seconds and then was a part of the consciousness of an evil psychopath. I'm going to need therapy. Like, a shit ton of therapy. But, I'm pretty confident that I'll be alright. Now, Ochako and Tsu filled me in on what happened. So...did you go Super Saiyan?"

"Well, technically Super Saiyan 2 since that form has lightning."

"Touche."

Izuku smiled and stood back up. "I need to go check up on everyone else, so I'll leave you guys alone for now. When she can, be prepared for Momo to make her way here and shower you in hugs."

Kyouka smiled, "I look forward to it." Ochako pinched her arm. "OW! I meant that platonically!"

The greenette chuckled to himself before walking out the door, leaving the group to recuperate in peace.

…

Walking down the hall, Izuku made his way to Kirishima's room. Opening the door he found his friend completely covered head to toe in bandages. His arms were both in casts and a brace covered his neck. "...Wow."

The faux redhead chuckled, "Hehe, tell me about it. Now I know how you feel, hehehehe. Aaah, it hurts to laugh."

"What happened to you?"

"Fought a giant monster. Manliest thing I've ever done, and it was totally worth it. What about you though? Mr. Aizawa stopped by earlier. I don't remember much about the rest of the raid, I was going in and out of consciousness. So I asked him about what happened, he told me you were the one that stopped Chisaki. I can't say I'm surprised, but he told me things got way crazier. Were you flying, or was that the hallucinations from exhaustion and blood loss?"

"No, I was flying."

"...What the hell are you, Bro?"

"I'm still asking myself that question most of the time."

Kirishima smiled while relaxing back into his pillows. "I can't tell if we're having the best or worst first year of high school ever. I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had with you guys for anything, but they're definitely not under the best circumstances. I'm having the time of my life while also terrified for my life."

Izuku nodded, "That's...very accurate."

"Hey, now that we're not fighting for our lives, I want to talk to you about something."

"It's about Ka-...Bakugou, isn't it?"

The room went silent for a moment, confirmation that Izuku was right on the money. "Listen, I'm in the dark about a lot of the situation you guys are in. So I'm not going to ask you to forgive him or anything. I might not know as much about him than you do, but I do know that he likely deserves what you did to him. And it's completely understandable if you never forgive him. I doubt anyone else in your situation would either. All I wanted to say was...he's trying. He's really trying, man. Hehe, it's actually a little scary. I never in a million years would have expected him to actually _try_ and be a good person...Well, as good of a person as he can be. He's even learning people's names now," Eijirou joked. Izuku looked down at his lap, his silence signalling Eijirou to continue. "You two are a strange duo. You've put each other through the emotional wringer. I can't speak for him, nor am I defending anything he's ever done. But, you both are two of the greatest friends I've ever had. I hate not only having to split myself between you two, but I can't stand watching both of you suffer."

Izuku did a double-take. '_Kaachan is suffering? He actually...cares?'_

"I know it's none of my business, but I learned from you that putting yourself into someone else's business to help isn't always a bad thing. I'm helping him through this, just like I'm sure Yaoyorozu is helping you. Not exactly the same way though. I'm sure she's doing _plenty _of things to help you out, if you catch my drift."

"You hang out with Kaminari too much."

Ejirou laughed, "Maybe just a little. I guess I just wanted to tell you that he's being legitimate about all this. And, I guess I just hope this all ends well."

Izuku nodded, "Me too."

_*Bzzt*_

Kirishima's phone on the bedside table began to vibrate, Katsuki's name appeared on the screen. Kirishima smiled, "Speak of the Devil. Would you mind putting the phone on my shoulder and answering it for me? I would, but uh…" He lifted up his cast covered hands. "...ya know."

"S-Sure." Izuku put the phone on Eijirou's shoulder near his ear, and pressed the green icon. On his way out the door, Izuku could hear their conversation for a few seconds.

"Hey du-"

"_THE FUCK DID I SAY ABOUT NOT DYING!?"_

"I'm not dead, though!"

Izuku couldn't help but laugh. If Katsuki was going to care about someone else's well-being, of course he would do it like his mother.

…

"Midoriya!" As Izuku emerged from the elevator, he saw Mirio about to enter another room. Izuku walked over to his friend, the blonde smiling at him. "What're you doing up here? I figured you'd be downstairs with your girlfriend."

"I've been checking up on everyone, making sure we're all okay."

"Yeah? Well, it's pretty hard to break this bunch." He motioned towards the door, and Nejire and Tamaki could be seen through the small window on the door. Nejire was talking a mile a minute into a clearly tired Tamaki's ear.

Izuku saw the bandages around Amajiki's face. "Is he alright?"

"He got torn up pretty bad in his fight. He'll be fine though."

"And Hado? Going through what she did must've been…"

"Actually, she's basically unfazed."

Izuku lifted a brow curiously, "Really?"

Mirio chuckled, "Nejire's always been like this. When she finally regained consciousness, all she said was "That was weird". And then proceeded to talk...and talk...and talk."

"I can't tell if that's healthy or unhealthy."

"I don't think it's either. It's just...Nejire. I wouldn't have her any other way though." Mirio placed a hand in Izuku's shoulder. "Thank you for saving her."

"I should be thanking you for all your help. Besides, you shouldn't thank me. Thank Eri. She's the one that saved everyone who got absorbed."

"It was both of you, but I'll be sure to thank her when I visit her. To be perfectly honest with you, I don't know what I'd do without them."

Izuku nodded in agreement, "That's how I feel about all my friends."

_*Bzzt*_

The teen quickly pulled out his phone to see Ochako had sent him a photo. It seemed Momo had finally grown too impatient, because the photo was of a purple-faced Kyouka barely being able to breathe due to the rich girl's boa constrictor-like hug. He smiled down at the photo, "I can't even imagine where I'd be without them. I'll leave you in peace with them. Before I go, do you know where Eri is?"

"Hm? Oh, I think Sir mentioned something about the fifth floor. I'd check there." Izuku thanked him, and began his trek further up the hospital floors.

...

The sun was just barely still peeking over the horizon by the time Izuku made it to the fifth floor. He knew which room was Eri's because Nighteye and All Might were all standing outside of the door. Toshinori was the first to notice the teen. "Young Izuku!" As soon as Izuku was in range, Toshinori ruffled the boy's hair. "I was told that a certain someone put on quite the performance to take down Chisaki."

"A-Ah, something like that. Where's Mr. Aizawa?"

Both Sir and All Might began to laugh. Mirai walked over to a window and pointed down at the parking lot. Izuku peered out the window to see his teacher being crushed by a casually dressed Ms. Joke in a massive bear hug. Izuku laughed at the sight as well. "Should I take a picture?"

Toshinori shook his head, "No need. We've already taken about thirty each."

They all laughed again, and Izuku turned back to Eri's room. "How is she?"

"The doctors are in there right now checking her over."

"Wait. Eri is alone with strangers?"

"No," Mirai said. "She's still asleep. She's been out cold since the battle. I doubt she'll wake up for awhi-"

"AAAAAH!"

"Or she'll wake up right now."

Izuku rushed through the door. The doctor and nurse inside were trying to calm Eri down, but it was clear it wasn't working. She was scrambling backwards on her bed, trying to get as far away from them as possible. Her horn was beginning to grow larger on her head, and an ethereal white glow began to surround it. "Get back!"

All of their eyes switched over to Izuku. Eri saw him and her expression softened. The doctors both backed away as Izuku moved past them and towards Eri. She quickly latched onto his arm, hiding behind him. Her quirk shut down and her horn shrank back down to nothing but a small stump.

"Are you okay?" Eri didn't really answer. She just hid further behind him. Izuku looked around and saw all of the medical equipment, the smell of chemicals, specific trash cans for used needles, etc. Eri probably thought her rescue was all a dream and she was sent right back into the underground facility. "I guess you really don't like these kinds of places, do you?"

Eri gave a very quiet, "No."

The doctor gathered up her clipboard and stethoscope, motioning for the nurse to follow her. "I-I think that's enough for now. We'll just check up on her tomorrow." They took their leave, leaving Izuku and Eri alone. Toshinori and Mirai, not wanting to crowd around Eri and make her feel even more stressed, they decided to wait outside.

"I'm sorry about that, Eri. I didn't think about the fact that people you didn't know would be checking on you here. I'll be sure to be here tomorrow when they come back. I promise they're not trying to hurt you. They're just making sure you're healthy. The sooner they can do that, the sooner you can get out of this place." Eri stopped hiding behind Izuku and sat on her knees next to him. "...Do you want me to stay with you for awhile?"

"Y-Yes, please."

…

Outside of the room, Aizawa finally made it back up to Eri's room. He could already feel his sides bruising from Emi. She might've dislocated one of his ribs. He looked up to see Toshinori and Mirai smirking at him. "...You took pictures, didn't you?"

The former hero and sidekick both said, "We plead the fifth."

"We live in Japan. I swear if you post those anywhere, I'll kil-" Shouta stopped as he saw Izuku through the door window. Eri was huddled against him as he spoke to her. "Where'd the doctors go?"

All Might sighed, "Eri woke up during the middle of their check up. Scared the daylights out of her. Her quirk was about to activate, but Young Midoriya calmed her down instantly."

"Really? How does one damn kid bring me so much trouble, yet solves so many problems. And now I have to deal with the fact that he can fly now."

All Might's eyes widened, "Wait, what?"

"Don't ask me how he did it. He just began flying around. I was already skeptical about his second quirk, but this? There's clearly something about him he's not telling us." The other two looked at one another knowingly, both slightly worried. Shouta was a smart man. And since he was already suspicious of All Might's relation to Izuku, it probably wouldn't take long for him to realize that Toshinori was a top suspect.

"I think there's another issue we need to discuss," Sir said, quickly changing the topic.

"That being?"

"Where is Eri going to live?"

...

**(The Next Morning)**

True to his promise, Izuku entered Eri's room bright and early. He hadn't seen Nana since the previous evening, which was unusual. Especially when Izuku spent the night in Momo's room. That was prime teasing material for her to use.

Izuku sat down on the edge of Eri's bed, the sunrise bleeding into the room and illuminating her sleeping form. Her horn had shrunken down to not even being an inch tall. Even when asleep, she always seemed to have a worried look on her face. He'd have to find a way to fix that.

"Excuse me?" Izuku turned to see a nurse walk into the room, a syringe with a vial connected to it in hand. "I need to draw some blood for testing."

Izuku looked back down at Eri, thinking about her outburst the previous night, along with her unstable quirk and emotions. "...I-I don't think that's the best idea."

"It'll only take a se-"

"No, really. You might die. Well, that or end up a few years younger." The nurse looked confused, so Izuku elaborated. "Saying she's been through a lot is a massive understatement. Eri isn't at all comfortable with strangers, much less strangers carrying needles...Actually, needles are probably pretty common for her. I-It's just probably not something she wants to experience again for a very long time, so she might have an outburst. Are you sure you can-"

"Let her do it." Both Izuku and the nurse looked back at the doorway to see Aizawa walk inside. "However, I need you to stay right with Eri while she does it."

"Mr. Aizawa, I-"

"Just try. I believe this'll work, and if it does, then it might bring forth a solution to a little problem that has come to my attention."

Izuku mulled it over, and it didn't exactly seem illogical. If there was anyone that could keep Eri calm during something like that, it was likely himself. He sat back down on the edge of the bed and took Eri's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Eri?" Eventually, her eyes slowly opened. Bringing her hands up to rub her eyes, Izuku eased her into a sitting position. Blinking away the blurriness of sleep from her eyes, Eri finally realized there were two other people in the room. Jumping slightly, she quickly moved towards Izuku and semi-hid behind him. Izuku almost chuckled at the sight. "They didn't mean to scare you."

Izuku carefully put an arm around her, the little girl gripping his shirt. "...Sorry."

The teen smiled, "It's okay, Eri." He leaned down and said in a low voice, "I used to be really bad at talking to strangers, too."

"Really?"

"Well, it was more like I was bad at talking to people in general...I'm still a little bad at it. I'm learning. You don't have to be comfortable around people yet. It takes time. However, that nice woman over there has to draw some of your blood to make sure you're healthy." The grip Eri had on him quickly tightened. Izuku reacted quickly. "Not like how Chisaki did it. It's just a simple, easy, quick thing. It'll be just fine. I'll be right here the whole time."

She cautiously looked back and forth between the nurse and Izuku. "...Okay," she said quietly.

Izuku carefully picked up Eri and placed her one his lap. The nurse quickly walked over and prepared Eri, wrapping a tourniquet around her arm and looking for a vein. Once the spot was rubbed with alcohol, the nurse carefully put in the needle, extracting the red liquid into the vial.

Izuku didn't want to think about how Eri didn't even flinch when the needle pierced her skin. She was completely unfazed, entirely used to the feeling. It was something very uncommon for children her age.

Soon, the nurse pulled out the syringe and placed down a cotton swab, wrapping bandages around it. "There, all done. Great job, sweetheart." Eri didn't respond to the nurse and continued to look down.

Izuku thanked the nurse, allowing her to leave. He looked down to Eri and asked, "Was that bad?" Eri shook her head, rubbing her hand over the point of injection.

"Midoriya." Izuku looked back towards Aizawa. His teacher approached the bed, but stopped at a short distance so as to not make Eri uncomfortable. "There's something that I need to discuss with you. Privately, if possible."

Izuku nodded, picking Eri up and placing her back down on the bed. "I'll be right back." The teen followed his teacher out of the hospital room and into the empty hallway. "Is something wrong?"

"There might be. It's about Eri's custody. It's become obvious to us, especially after last night's events, that foster care is not an option."

Izuku couldn't help but agree. Eri's quirk was already unstable due to her emotions, and being forced to live with complete strangers wasn't going to help. It would end poorly very quickly. "So, where will she go?"

"Well, nothing is set in stone. But, we're leaning towards Eri coming to live with me." Izuku nodded, he could see why Aizawa was a smart choice. He could instantly shut down Eri's quirk if she ever had another random outburst. "However, the issue of her emotions is something we're still unsure of. Eri doesn't know me, and it's highly unlikely she'll come around to me. At least not for a very long time. She's very closed in, and reacts badly to being surprised by strangers. I can't imagine she'll react well when we tell her she has to come live with one."

Izuku pursed his lips in thought. The last thing Eri needed was even more anxiety. "So what are we going to do?"

Shouta sighed, "I'm not sure. We need to figure out how to make Eri feel as safe and comfortable as possible. That'll give us the least amount of outbursts, if she has any more that is."

"...I'll take her in."

Shouta slowly looked towards Izuku with a raised brow, "Y-...You're joking, right?"

"No. I'll do it."

"Midoriya, you've made so many questionable decisions in my time of knowing you that this somehow doesn't faze me in the slightest. You do realize that you're a 16 year old high-schooler, correct?"

Izuku nodded, "I know. I'm also the only person on the planet that Eri is comfortable around. Why worry about when she's going to have an outburst again when she doesn't have to have them at all. Even if something does happen, I have the means of negating her quirk and calming her down, just like I did last night. Even in the most unlikely scenario, we still have you on standby as well. There are two empty rooms next to Momo's. Hell, I'm more than happy to share a room with her if need be. As long as she feels safe, that's all that matters to me."

"You're a student."

"And you're a teacher, who's also a pro hero on the side. If anything, I have more free time than you do. And we need to get her more comfortable around other people. As..._overbearing_ as a lot of us can be, the dorms are the perfect place to ease her into social activity. We might have to keep her one, two, or multiple floors away from Mineta at all times though."

Aizawa shook his head, "You're just a teenager. You have a future ahead of you, and you can't spend your time focusing on a kid."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head, blushing a little. "I'm going to be perfectly honest and open with you Mr. Aizawa. Being a pro has been, is, and always will be my dream until I achieve it. But, I have more than one dream. For instance, I-I want kids. Obviously I originally planned on actually marrying Momo first, gaining a solid footing in the hero rankings, but I'm fine with that changing. I'm going to have to learn how to balance my professional life with my personal life anyway, so why not now?"

"I really don't think you fully comprehend what you're asking for here."

Izuku shrugged, "Taking care of raising another human being? I don't think any human who has ever lived has fully comprehended or been completely prepared for what it entails. She's not a baby, she's just a kid."

"You're a kid. She's not some turtle you found on the side of the road, you can't just keep her."

"A kid who's gone through a whole lot of shit." The greenette sighed, "Sorry for the language, I just...I just feel like I understand her. And, you didn't see it, but back at the raid she understood me, too. I promised her that I would make sure she had a better life. She put her trust, something no one else has, into me. This isn't just me trying to butt in on something that isn't my business. It's not just me trying to do what I think is right, even if it's wrong. I-I want to do this. I can take care of her. I know I can."

"That…" A new voice emerged from down the hall. The duo turned their attention to see Sir Nighteye walking towards them. "...is perhaps the most unorthodox and illogical thing I've heard you say. And yet, it somewhat makes sense."

Shouta deadpanned at Mirai, "You've got to be kidding me."

Sir crossed his arms and turned to Aizawa, "While it is true that Eri's unstable quirk has proven itself to be very dangerous, Midoriya has also proven that he is the only person able to subdue Eri without the means of a specific power like yours, Eraser. It's highly unlikely that her emotions would get out of hand as long as Midoriya is around. There is also the situation of teaching Eri to control her quirk. And while I do believe you should take part in that process, Midoriya knows better than anyone how to train a quirk to be more manageable. In fact, he did it completely on his own. And let's face it, you're not exactly the spitting image of what a child finds approachable, Eraser."

"That's fair."

"I think after everything we have witnessed, that girl deserves to feel the happiest and safest she can be. And the more I think about it, I really don't think she'll feel either of those things unless it's with Midoriya."

Shouta wiped his hand down his face and sighed, "Let's just pretend this isn't completely insane for a second and we give Eri to Midoriya. It's not exactly legal for a teenager to take custody of a child."

A fourth voice chimed in, "Sign her under my name." All eyes turned to see All Might approaching.

Shouta scowled, "Ignoring the fact that everyone seems to be eavesdropping today, you can't tell me that you actually approve of this as well?"

"Eehh, approve is a strong word. But, we don't exactly have a wide range of options. You may not trust Young Midoriya, but I trust him entirely. He'll obviously have help at all times, he won't be doing this alone. It just might be for the best if he's the one Eri is spending most of her time with."

Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Am I seriously being outvoted?"

"Why don't we ask her what she wants?" Toshinori asked.

"Because she'll instantly choose Problem Child!"

Mirai held up three fingers, "So, that makes three votes."

"She doesn't count."

Toshinori leaned against the wall and shrugged, "Shouldn't she? Don't you think it's time she finally gets _something_ she wants. Shouldn't, for once in her life, have a choice?" Shouta remained silent, still looking baffled that they were even having the conversation. "If we want her to grow up happy and surrounded by good people, I really don't think there's anything better than our class. Unless we want her to end up grumpily annoyed all the time like you."

Shouta raised a hand towards All Might, "This is the closest I've ever been to slapping you."

_*Slide*_

"Um…" Everyone's attention switched to the door opening and Eri peeking out of it. She looked around at everyone, eyes landing on Toshinori. She was startled by the skeletal-looking man she had never seen before, quickly rushing behind Izuku's legs. The action didn't go unnoticed by the others, a smug grin gracing Toshinori's face as he looked at Aizawa. He was met with a glare.

Izuku put a hand on her head, "Were you listening?" She nodded quietly. "And...wh-what do you think?" The only response they received was Eri increasing her grip on Izuku's pant leg.

Mirai nodded, "It looks like we have our answer from Eri herself. All for?" He and All Might each raised a hand. Both turned their heads toward Aizawa. "And all opposed?"

"I hate both of you. We'll continue this conversation later, with _actual_ adults."

All Might put his hands on his hips, "I am an adul-"

"No. No you're not."

"Says the one with the baby blue kitten shirt."

Shouta jabbed a finger at Izuku, "YOU TALKED!" He turned around and stormed off, All Might and Sir began to follow.

Over his shoulder, All Might said, "Young Midoriya, we'll talk this over with the others and get back to you. Also, we're having a much needed talk about you apparently flying."

Izuku ran a hand through his hair, sighing to himself. Was he being stupid wanting to be the one who took care of Eri?

...Yeah, probably.

How would Momo feel about it? How would his mom feel? Even All Might said it wasn't something he thought was an amazing idea.

"This really something you want?" Izuku swiveled around at Nana's voice. She looked at him with curiosity etched into her expression. "I think at this point it's pretty obvious I'm not exactly the best person to go to for parental advice, but do you really want this?"

"I...I really think so."

A low laugh escaped Nana's throat, "You are such a strange, amazing kid."

"You talk to yourself a lot." The teen looked down at Eri, who watched him confusedly.

"Y-Yeah. Sorry about that. W-Would you believe me if I told you I have a remnant of a dead person in my soul?" Eri shook her head. "Didn't think so. Good. That means you're sensible."

"I-Is it not sensible to take care of me?"

The greenette blew a raspberry and shrugged, "It's not for my age. But, I've come to the conclusion that sensibility doesn't really apply to anything I do anymore. C'mon, let's go back inside." The duo began walking back inside Eri's room, but not before Nana stopped Izuku.

"Hey, kid." Izuku stopped and turned around to Nana. She looked troubled.

"Yeah?"

"...I think it's time I talk to Toshinori."

**A/N: Okay, something I've been wanting to talk about is my interpretation of Katsuki and his past with Izuku. As you all obviously know, their past in their fic is a dark exaggeration of it's canon counterpart. However, looking back I realized that Katsuki's physical bullying may actually have been more frequent than I believed.**

**I used to think "I doubt there was a whole lot of physical bullying", and I've seen Katsuki's fans say there is no evidence of Katsuki being really violent. After reading through the early chapters of the manga again, I noticed something. We all already know that Katsuki and his friends beat up Izuku when they were 4 years old. The very first page of the manga is Izuku getting ganged up on and beaten. **

**We've also seen Katsuki threaten physical violence to Izuku whenever he told him not to apply to U.A, implying physicality by burning his shoulder. One could easily say that "Well, they were kids. Kids fighting is different from teenagers fighting."**

**Which is true. Kids are stupid. And Katsuki technically never said he would hurt Izuku if he applied to U.A. Fine, whatever. There was one line however that made me double-take. And this is all hypothetical, remember that. This isn't solid evidence or anything.**

**But, during the Battle Test right after Izuku throws Katsuki over his shoulder, Izuku tells Katsuki how he knew the blonde would start with his right hook. He says, "I've seen it enough to know", and then he says, "I'm not going to be your worthless punching bag anymore". **

**So he claims to have seen Katsuki throw a right hook in a fight plenty of times to know he would start with it, and he sees himself as a punching bag. Now that punching bag thing could be metaphorical. But I highly doubt there was anyone else at Aldera that Katsuki decided to attack besides Izuku. From what we saw, everyone else praised Katsuki. Teachers and students. When Katsuki attacked Izuku's desk and made fun of him, the rest of the class joined in.**

**It's not solid evidence, but it seems pretty convincing to me. And Kohei has a lot of subtle storytelling that he doesn't explain and leaves it more to fan theory or thought. Maybe it's just me. This isn't me trying to bash Katsuki. This is more of me trying to delve deeper into the characters.**

**Like how I also believe Inko is a stress eater, and Izuku's quirkless diagnosis, raising him alone, and the guilt of believing she crushed his dreams caused her to stress eat and gain the weight she did.**

**Or how I believe Himiko wears so much make-up and is obsessed with cute things because of her past attempts and failures of trying to be normal. She tried to conform to everyone else's sense of normality (a cliche schoolgirl), but eventually gave in to her dark side and formed her own sense or normal. That's why she wants a world easier to live in. A world where her version of normal isn't taboo. **

**I dunno. Thanks for reading all of this if you did. **


	60. Sayonara, Nana

**A/N: Damn, two months again. I really am sorry. Life just gets in the way, especially now that I'm back in college. I just hope you continue to enjoy it.**

**This is the last full chapter where we're in the hospital. This is mostly the other's reaction to Izuku's idea. And it's not exactly rainbows and sunshine.**

"How are we going to do that? I mean, I could just repeat what you say back to him."

Nana shrugged, "I guess, but that won't exactly be emotionally fulfilling. We need to do this fast though."

Izuku furrowed his brow as he looked over to his ghostly partner. The duo were sitting on the rooftop of the hospital to avoid Izuku looking completely crazy to anyone walking by. The morning sun was nearing its peak at high-noon. "Why do we need to do this quickly?"

A sorrowful smile graced Nana's face as she put a hand on his head. "You have my quirk now, and I've helped you figure out the path you want to take as a hero. My job is done."

"...O-Oh." Izuku's lips pursed as he wrung his hands together. "I-I guess I never actually thought about you having to leave. I- Ah!"

Nana suddenly brought Izuku into a tight hug, "Awww, you're gonna miss me? I figured you would be counting the days until I left you alone. I'm going to miss you, too. I loved being your wacky grandma these past few weeks. But damn you're crazy."

"I-I can't exactly argue there."

"And it's not forever. Anytime you really need me, I'll be there. Or maybe you just wanna see me again."

"I'm assuming the other users won't be so lenient with their assistance."

"Of course not. They like to wait for long amounts of time, only to reveal things in bits and pieces one at a time. In fact it wasn't even my turn. The first user was gonna talk to you, but I shoved him outta the way."

Izuku's brow furrowed, "Do you guys live in my head?"

"We like to think of it as our "Soul House"."

Izuku decided to simply roll with it. "Well, we'll figure something out for you and All Might before you go."

She let him go and sat back, leaning on her hands. "Thanks. It's just a shame I won't be here in person to watch you stumble your way through raising my great-granddaughter."

"Raise?"

Nana's eyes widened as she slowly looked over at Izuku. "Y-...You do know what you signed up for, right?"

Izuku's eyes widened to match Nana's. "Do you mean raising as in...like a parent?"

Nana's jaw dropped, her hands lifting up in disbelief. "What did you think you were doing?!"

"I-I-..." Izuku thought it all over again. When he had asked to take in Eri, he didn't exactly think that it could be considered parenting. It only now occurred to him that most of what that job entailed was similar to that of a parent's job. No wonder Aizawa was so against it. It really was crazy. "...Oh, wow. What have I done?"

Nana shook her head, "Oh my God! How did you not realize this?!"

"I just thought of it as staying with her. You know, helping her improve her life, bonding with her."

"And feeding?"

"W-Well, if she said she was hungry."

"And helping her with hygiene? Brushing her teeth and all that?"

"I guess so."

"Playing with her? Helping with her problems?"

"...Yeah."

"Moral support?"

"Of course."

"That's parenting!"

...Oh shit she was right.

Izuku put his head in his hands, completely in disbelief at his own ignorance. "Why didn't you stop me?!"

"I thought it would be cute to see!"

"That's not a good reason!"

"Neither is raising a child at 16 because you feel like you understand her!"

Izuku laid down on his back as he tried to decipher what his next move would be. He couldn't be a parent at 16. Especially when he was trying to be a hero.

"Why do I overthink everything I don't need to, but when it comes to emotions and helping people, I'm the most impulsive person in the world?"

"Are you going to back out?"

Izuku thought for a few more minutes, coming to his conclusion. "No. I can't."

"Yes, you can."

The teen shook his head, "No, I can't. Even if I didn't fully think about what I was getting myself into, I still meant everything I said. If I'm the one Eri wants to stay with, I won't hesitate to accept. I won't make her feel unwanted by anyone anymore."

Nana nodded, "Well you can't do it alone."

She was right. That was not an option. But, who would help hi-

"Oh no, Momo." Izuku groaned as he pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. "What's she going to think?"

"Hey, c'mon. That girl has been with you through everything. I'm sure once you explain everything to her, it'll all…"

"W-What?"

"I realized that I shouldn't finish that sentence, because it'll just end with the cliché of everything not being okay. But it's probably too late."

…

Nana was right. It was too late.

"...You what?"

"I offered to take care of Eri while she lives in the dorms. Before and after school, that is."

Izuku wasn't expecting 100% support from Momo, as it was an odd decision and a big commitment.

... However, he did not expect a look from her that screamed, "Are you a God-Damn moron?".

...And then her asking, "Are you a God-Damn moron?"

"Wh-...Well you see-"

"Izuku, you're 16. I just barely turned 16. I-...I don-..." Momo began rubbing her temples, utterly flabbergasted by what she was hearing.

Izuku waved his hand frantically, "You don't have to do anything! I swear! I-I'm the one who wanted to do this, so this is my responsibility...if they even allow it."

"No Izuku I just…" She leaned forward in her hospital bed and took his hand. "If this happens, of course I'll help you. I always will...But I just need to wrap my head around this. Izuku, this is nuts."

"I know."

"We're not ready for this."

"Yeah."

"If this was what you wanted, what was the point of using condoms this whole time?"

"Wh-?! Momo!"

Momo shook her head, "That was a joke. If you got me pregnant, your arms wouldn't be the only thing you would have to worry about."

"...Well you're the one who makes the contraceptive, so wouldn't it be yo-"

"I guess I understand why you want to do this," Momo said, ignoring him. "I know why you would feel connected to Eri and would relate to her, especially given your past...but I'm still confused as to why you think two high-school students are capable of parenting a small child."

"I-I didn't mean parenting. Well, that wasn't what I was thinking when I offered. I just meant...um...multiple year babysitting."

"That's just parenting!"

Izuku flinched slightly. He felt like an idiot for thinking this was going to turn out any differently. If they were graduated and out of school? Maybe this would be going far better. But asking your high-school girlfriend what she thinks about you taking in a child?

...It was never going to go smoothly.

"Where would she sleep?" Momo suddenly asked.

"W-Well, there are three empty rooms on the second floor. She'd be in one of those."

Momo nodded, "Okay, that's fine. What about money? It's not that I can't afford anything she wants, but I want to know where we would stand on that."

"U.A would pay for everything, besides miscellaneous things we decide to buy." Momo nodded silently, clearly still trying to comprehend everything that was being thrown at her. It wasn't that she didn't want to help Eri. She had just risked her life to save her, and she'd do it again in a heartbeat. But to essentially raise her? Izuku probably didn't see it that way, but that's really what it would be. They would be responsible for Eri the most. She would turn to them with any problems. They would have to make sure she ate, even if whoever was watching her during school was feeding her lunch.

Nightmares, dressing her, helping her bathe, establishing a morning routine, entertaining her. It was all just too much.

"I...I need some more time to think."

Izuku nodded, standing up from his chair. "I'll leave you to it then. I'll be back later." As Izuku walked out of the room, he couldn't help but feel worried. If things went poorly, it could dent his and Momo's relationship. As he walked up the stairs of the hospital towards Eri's room, those kinds of thoughts began plaguing his mind.

What would his mom think?

Would he lose training time? He could always just have Eri come with him, but she might not be comfortable enough to leave.

What if the others scared her? Oh Christ, what would Katsuki do?

Izuku finally made it to Eri's room. He hesitated just as his hand wrapped around the doorknob. All of his fears and everyone else's fears began to get to him.

...What was he thinking? He couldn't do this. He didn't even have the first clue as to what was happening most of the time in his daily life. But, adding a child into the mix?

Izuku sighed as he turned the doorknob and walked through the door, ready to back out of the offer he had made. Closing the door behind him, he looked over at Eri in her hospital bed. She turned to him, and while she didn't smile her expression softened. "Hey, Eri. Are you doing okay?"

She nodded silently as Izuku sat down on the edge of the bed. Izuku looked up to the television mounted on the wall across the room that was likely turned on by one of the nurses. The device turned on and showed some cartoons. Eri definitely didn't seem all that interested. That was probably because she most likely had no idea what was going on in the show. "What's it like?"

Startled by the sudden question, Izuku looked down at Eri, "What?"

"What's it like where you live?"

This was probably the worst question she could've asked Izuku after already somewhat coming to the conclusion that it would be best if Eri lived elsewhere. "W-Well, technically I have two homes. I have the home I grew up in, and I have the home I live in now. It's a building at my school for students to live in. I live with the rest of my class."

"Will I have to talk to them?"

Izuku faltered for a moment before he responded. "Well, actually Eri I was going to tell you that…" Izuku once again paused. "...that the rest of the class won't bother you. Your room is next to mine, and no one else is near you. Even then, no one will bother you unless given specific permission by you and I saying otherwise. Once you grow more comfortable, we'll see how you do with talking to them, okay?"

Eri nodded, "...I'm sorry if going with you causes any trouble."

"No, Eri it's just...Do you absolutely want to go with me?"

Without a moment of hesitation, Eri nodded. "Yes."

His mind was going back and forth on what he should do, but he knew there was no way he could do that to Eri. She already had the hope of staying with him, and he couldn't take that away from her. She finally had freedom, and it would kill him inside to just send her to another place she didn't want to go to. '_I've done far more impossible feats than this.' _The greenette put a hand on Eri's back. "Then there's nothing I want more than for you to stay with me." Eri huddled closer to Izuku and put her gaze back on the television. Okay, this wasn't bad. He could do this.

He saved this child from a monster. Surely he could take care of her.

...Oh please be able to take care of her.

A nurse suddenly came through the door, "Ah, Mr. Midoriya. I just came to drop off Eri's blood test results. She is a bit malnourished, but it's not too bad. A few weeks of good meals will change that right up."

"Thank you, nurse." She nodded happily, exiting the room. "Did you hear that, Eri? Make sure to eat plenty these next couple of weeks, okay?" Eri nodded in response, still being a somewhat quiet child. "Are you hungry now?"

"A-A little."

"Okay, I'll go grab you something." Izuku made his way to the door, but not before looking at the paper the nurse had dropped off. She was right, for the most part Eri was healthy. It was a good thing he had managed to calm Eri down enough for her blood to be drawn. '_Hm...Blood.'_

"_Nana?"_ Izuku whispered to not let Eri hear.

"What's up?" the 7th user said, appearing beside him.

"_Is it possible for past users to wield One For All again?"_

"I don't know. None of us have ever tried."

"_We could try to give One For All back to All Might, and if it works he can just give it back to me once you're done talking."_

Nana nodded, "Hm, not bad. Hey, if it does pass on to him, don't worry about him giving it back. There's no need."

"_Why not?"_

"I'll explain later. Just know that One For All will be safely back with you once this is over."

"_Alright._"

Now he just needed to find All Might. The last time he had seen him, he was walking off with Aizawa to find the police chief and discuss where Eri would be staying.

That probably wasn't going well.

...

"The sheer amount of stupidity in that idea just gave me an instant migraine."

Toshinori groaned while Aizawa nodded in agreement with the police chief, "Thank you. Someone with some sense."

The chief leaned against his car, crossing his arms as he mulled over the suggestion in the hospital parking garage. "Look, All Might, I get where you're coming from. And it's not that I don't trust the kid. Hell, we'd all be dead and Chisaki would still be free if it wasn't for him. But he's just a teenager. If he wasn't going to U.A to be a hero, maybe I would consider it if he was living at home with a guardian. And that's a big maybe. But, a hero student in a dorm room?"

"She's going to live on school grounds anyway. We all know she can't go to foster care." The chief, and even Shouta nodded their heads. That was true. "And you both are acting as if I'm suggesting Young Midoriya not go to school, provide everything for her, etc. All I'm saying is that he watches over her during before and after-school hours, as he's requested to do. I've already called Nezu, and he said U.A will provide everything Eri will need. Food, clothes, hygiene products, medicine, education, all of it. The only thing Midoriya will pay for is whatever he decides to buy."

Aizawa chimed in, "What about homework? Hero Class might have assignments, but he still has his general studies classes. What if he falls behind?"

"You've met your class, Aizawa. The rest of them would be far bigger distractions than a very quiet little girl. I doubt Eri would be much of a distraction. I don't think she likes attention as it is. Besides, you know of Young Midoriya's relationship with Yaoyorozu and the effect she's had on him. He's been ahead of the lesson plan in every single class since June! Homework is nothing to him. He could crack out a full, top quality essay in 20 minutes."

Shouta had to give him that. Izuku was always a good student and his grades were always top notch. But, ever since he began going along with Momo's studying routine, he was always number two in the class. "And if his studying gets put off due to Eri?"

"We both know he's a memorization machine. He's got photographic memory on steroids."

That was also true. Even if Izuku's notebooks were all burned, he could cite all 13 of them word for word just from memory. The same went for academics. Izuku was never really a part of Momo's study group. He had maybe only seen him there once or twice. Izuku was seen physically training more than mentally training, yet he was still acing every assignment thrown at him.

"And Eri is a kid. To make a child no longer a distraction, distract the child. Give her things that she's missed out on her whole life. Books, shows, coloring, a-"

Shouta shook his head, "Yes, but like you said, she's missed out on all of those things. She's bound to be curious. Always asking questions, always wanting help. Your distractions just lead her to being a bigger distraction. For Christ sake, does she even have any sort of basic schooling? Does she know how to read? I highly doubt Chisaki put homeschooling on his schedule."

"Which actually leads to another question." Both heroes turned back to the chief at his interjection. "Listen, All Might. Let's say this does happen. Let's say we can work a miracle. With the kid around, Eri has zero panic attacks. Everything is provided for her by the school, and everything Midoriya wants to buy for her, he does. His grades don't suffer, his training is unscathed, and he spends the rest of the day back in the dorms with Eri. Eraserhead is always on site just in case. Eri eventually heals mentally, they're both very happy. Everyone wins. But, what about during school hours?"

Shouta and Toshinori both looked at each other, both realizing that was going to be an issue no matter who Eri went with. Even if she went with Aizawa, he had to go to school and work the same hours as the students. Sometimes even more.

The chief continued, "And like Eraserhead said, what about schooling? Public school is an absolute no go."

Toshinori shrugged, "We solve one issue with another one. During Midoriya's school hours, Eri is also being homeschooled for a few hours, and then being watched over by someone else."

"By who? Homeschooling doesn't really need anyone with a teaching background, but they should be well educated."

"...Um…" Toshinori turned to Shouta, "What about Ms. Joke?"

Shouta sighed, "Normally I'd say yes. Emi is very good with children. However, Eri is a special case. Emi can work with normal kids, but she might just make Eri's anxiety ten times worse. She's very loud and in your face. Which most kids don't care about, but Eri…I don't think so. I'll keep her on the options list. What about Nighteye?"

Toshinori scoffed, "Are you kidding? He'd terrify her. Not to mention he'd be a strict teacher. No. So we need someone kind, good with kids, good education, has enough free time, and has the ability to gain Eri's trust like Midoriya…" The former pro's eyes widened. "I need to make a call."

…

**(A Few Minutes Later)**

"W-...What?"

"How would you feel about homeschooling the child we just rescued?"

The line went silent for a few seconds, as Toshinori expected. It was definitely a strange request to suddenly ask your girlfriend. He knew Inko had her nursing job, but she just seemed like the perfect choice. She was well educated with her bachelors, she was astounding with kids, it was quite possible that there was no one kinder or sweeter than her, trusting, and being Midoriya's mother would make it far easier for Eri to feel comfortable around her.

"_I-I...I don't know. I guess I'm open to it, it's just so sudden."_

"I really am sorry for springing this on you. But, we really need someone to teach Eri and keep her company during school hours. It's become very clear to us that she's grown very attached to Izuku...but she's extremely nervous and scared around anyone else. And if there's anyone else that could get through to Eri, at least until she becomes more accustomed to other people, it's probably you. Especially once she learns you're Izuku's mother."

"_Wow...I did teach some minor schooling to Izuku when he was extremely little. And I've helped some of the children and teens who've been hospitalized and couldn't go back to school for awhile with their homework. But a six-year-old? Are you sure I can do it?"_

Toshinori pressed his lips together as he leaned against the wall outside of the hospital. "To be honest, you might not have to teach anything major for a while. We're not sure if the place she was being kept gave her any real schooling. We can easily make lesson plans for you. All we would require of you is a few hours of schooling. And then hopefully one day Eri will be confident enough to attend a real school."

Back home, Inko furrowed her brow as she thought it all over. "_Alright. I'll do it. If I can really help this poor girl, then I can't pass this up." _She really was Izuku's mother. "_But what about my nursing job?"_

"You already told me that nurses with healing quirks get more hours than you. And you haven't even seen the pay yet."

"_I'm getting paid?"_

"Yeah, I already called Nezu about it. Here, I'll text you his offer." He sent the number and waited for Inko to respond. "...Inko? Did you get it?"

"_...O-Oh, I got it...That's...that's a lot of zeroes. Are you sure the school can afford this?"_

"We have training grounds the size of multiple city blocks, a robot army, dozens of dorm buildings, and that's not even with the expenses of food, the support studio, the colosseum, and a bunch of other crap. I don't even think U.A knows what a budget is. Nezu wants something and the government gives it to him. Honestly I'm almost tempted to negotiate with him, because he might consider your paycheck as chump change."

"_Nononono, this is plenty. I accept."_

"Perfect. I'll be sure to tell him your answer."

"_Great. I'll be sure to-"_

"Also Izuku may or may not have offered to be the one to take care of Eri during after-school hours."

"...What?"

"Yeeaaah, that's a thing. Just thought you should know that." Toshinori waited for some sort of response from Inko, but received nothing. "...Inko?...Honey?" There was nothing except silence. "...Um...Welp, it's about time I hit the ol' dusty trail...so I'll see you at home?" Silence. "...Okay, bye. Love you."

_*Click*_

"Hopefully that shocked silence was out of happiness."

"So…" Toshinori turned to see Aizawa walking towards him, hands in his pockets. "...you find that teacher?"

"I did. And I think Eri will like her a lot once she gets used to her."

"And this decision is not at all biased, even though you said "love you" at the end?"

"Biased? A little. Still a good choice? Yes."

Shouta shook his head, leaning against the wall next to the former pro. "I just don't understand why you're pushing for this."

Toshinori sighed, "To be honest with you, there's about a million reasons why I shouldn't."

"I know. I've been trying to tell you."

After chuckling, the former pro continued. "However, I also know Young Midoriya won't back down. He'd still find a way to be with Eri no matter where she went. He'll put his entire life aside just to help one single person. But now it's someone he sees something in. And I think we both know that if there was anyone that actually could make a situation like that work, it'd be him."

"That doesn't mean he should put himself in said situation."

"I know...I know. But he's going to. And it's partially my fault. I jammed in his head that he should butt his way into any situation, no matter how much he's told no, as long as the end result means helping someone."

Shouta looked over to Yagi. "And do you really think watching over a kid is going to help turn him into the next you?" Toshinori looked over at Shouta, but not with shock. "I'm not an idiot. How long did you think favoritism was all I was going to see it as? I obviously don't know everything, but I know enough to understand that you of all people wouldn't want any distractions on him. So, why? Why are you so okay with this?"

Toshinori pursed his lips, standing up straight from the wall he was leaning on. He shrugged, "Because he's already better than me. Hell, he was already better than me the day I met him. He just needed help to reach his path. I'll continue to help and teach him for as long as I can, but he already has everything it takes to be a hero."

"Look, he may be strong. But-"

"He's not ready for the real hero world? Yep, he sure isn't. Not fully. That's not what I meant." Shouta nodded, signalling for Toshinori to continue. "I may have been the Symbol of Peace, but I was as big of a fatalist as they come. Ever since the death of my only real mother-figure and this damn injury, I was cynical. I smiled, I was deemed the greatest hero in the world. I brought together not just a nation, but all nations in the fight against evil. At least the idea of it. I had everything I ever dreamed of, I was everything I aspired to be."

"Except?"

"Except I was a liar. Not a liar of much, mind you. But I was. I was weighed down by reality. I spoke of doing the impossible, but I knew impossible was far more common than the opposite. A couple years ago if we were in the same situation as we're in now, I would have left Eri to the government. I saved her, the rest wasn't my problem. I wouldn't have thought I could do anything about it. Back when Nezu was considering allowing quirkless to take the entrance exam, if he had asked me my opinion, I would have thought that his brain had finally cracked."

"We all have our problems. None of that changes what you did for the world."

"You're right. It doesn't. But I still hate myself for it. Until I met Young Midoriya that is. He reminded me of what I set out to do back when I was 14. He cleared away my grief and cynicism, and reminded me of what my master taught me a long time ago. Something that I dismissed in my want for revenge against All For One, something that was buried deep after I fully realized just how bad my injury was. My days as a hero were numbered, and I thought everything I built was going to crumble after the world saw me all skeletal and small. I would never stop saving people, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was all for naught."

"And what did Midoriya remind you of?"

Toshinori smiled, "That no matter how much reality beats you down, you look it dead in the eye and keep fighting. No matter how close you are to giving in, you stand back up. He's been told no. He's been told everything was impossible all of his life. Even I told him something was impossible. Yet, here he is. Granted, with help. But that help would be worthless without his effort, or his heart. When he looks at someone, he doesn't just see a person. He sees a life. A life that can be filled with happiness, with love, with hope. And if his own life takes a hit for it, he'd still gladly do it in a heartbeat. Being a hero means sacrifice. I lost sight of that for a long time."

Shouta didn't say anything, he simply continued to listen.

"That's what he's doing with Eri. He sees someone who he can give a better life to. Someone he can protect, wants to protect. Someone whose vision is clouded. No matter what it takes, he'll do it." Toshinori laughed, "It just so happens he thinks he should handle this matter personally, for reasons I'm not at liberty to discuss. It's not my place. And I'm not saying he definitely should do it, nor am I saying he's not trying to take responsibility for something that definitely isn't his to take. But, in summary, the reason I'm okay with him watching over Eri is because it's not hurting his goal. It's once again proving why he's going to reach it. Just as he'll prove it time and time again."

Aizawa ran a hand over his face, sighing loudly. "I can't believe you're very slightly convincing me. However, I'm still voting no."

"I know. You're the far more responsible adult, so I would expect nothing less. I do feel bad for you though."

"Why's that?"

"Because Ms. Joke will never forgive you for not being the one to bring home a child to raise with her."

"Oh God-damn it. You're right." Shouta pinched the bridge of his nose, mulling over everything. "Is it so much to ask for just one week of normalcy?"

"Do you realize how bored we'd be?"

"I figured after everything you went through you'd be begging for peace and quiet."

"Maybe, but I never even got the chance to taste that kind of life."

"Problem Child?"

"Problem Child."

"I heard my name." Both turned to see Izuku approaching with a paper cup of coffee.

"Ah, Young Midoriya. Aizawa and I were just discussing Eri's living arrangements. Would you believe me if I said I convinced him?"

Shouta sighed, "I said very slightly. That's nowhere near enough for me to approve."

"Yes, but if my argument even slightly convinced you of all people, then that means it'll probably convince most others."

All Toshinori received in response was a grumble. Izuku chuckled and then turned to his mentor. "All Might, can I talk to you?"

"Of course, my boy." As the duo walked away, Toshinori looked back to his student. "Oh, but I just got someone to homeschool Eri during your school hours."

"Really? Who?"

"Inko, actually. I thought she'd be a great choice."

"Oh! I never would've thought of Mom." The two missed the look of shock on Shouta's face as he realized Izuku's mother was the person All Might said "Love you" to on the phone. "Did y-you tell her about where exactly Eri would be staying?"

"Yeah, and I didn't exactly get a response. I might've broken her brain with that one."

"W-Well, I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you." Izuku handed Toshinori the coffee cup he was carrying. "It's decaf, obviously."

"Thank you. Damn, what I would give to get my stomach back to make this coffee caffeinated. I'm so tired."

"You're tired? You're the only one that didn't go on the mission."

"I had to comfort your fretting mother throughout the whole thing."

"Nevermind. You're the true hero here." Both laughed as Izuku continued to lead them into the building, up the hospital steps and out onto the roof.

"So, my boy, what exactly was it you wanted to talk about?"

Izuku shrugged, "I don't know. That's for you two to decide." The teen then lifted off the ground, practicing his new quirk. Toshinori watched as Izuku began floating around, practicing maneuvers. He scoffed, but chuckled. "That kid is so weird sometimes."

"More like all the time."

Toshinori chuckled at Nana's joke, "Yeah that's probably more accurate. But he…" The former symbol of peace froze. A hand was suddenly placed on his shoulder, but he couldn't look. His body wouldn't move.

"He's weird, but he's our weirdo. Well, Inko's weirdo. She just kinda allows us to be here. That little woman could probably choke us out." Toshinori breathed in deep, turning his head to the left. The sight of his old mentor stopped his heart.

"You...Y-You…"

The hand on his shoulder moved up to his hair, "How many years has it been, Toshi? 30? 31?"

"I…"

"Wow, you got tall. I mean, you were tall when I died. But now? Holy hell."

"H-How…?"

"Izuku put a drop of his blood into your coffee. Gross, but effective. But this isn't permanent. We-" Nana was cut-off as Toshinori grabbed her and brought her into the tightest hug he could muster.

Her body felt faint, almost as if Toshinori wasn't touching anything. Which was fitting since she wasn't actually there. Toshinori didn't cry very often. But now he was certain that he could give Izuku a run for his money in the waterworks department.

Up above, Izuku was doing his best not to listen in. This definitely wasn't something that he should intrude upon. _'I should make myself scarce.' _Knowing Mirio was wanting to visit Eri, he floated his way down the building to find the blonde.

"Y-You're...You're actually here. Not that I thought Izuku was crazy or anything, but…" Toshinori faltered. "Wait, so...at the battle against All For One, that wasn't just in my head? That was you?"

"In the flesh. Or, not the fle-...You get what I mean."

Toshinori pulled back and continued to gaze at her, "I just...I-I don't know what to say."

"Then I'll say something." Nana cupped both of Toshinori's sunken cheeks, beginning to tear up herself. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? What could you be sorry for?"

"For leaving you. For dropping all of my burdens on you. For not being strong enough. If I was stronger, more capable, you wouldn't be coughing blood. You wouldn't look like this."

Through his tears Toshi smiled. "Hey, I happen to know a woman who quite likes how I look."

"Oh bless Inko. Gave you love and gifted the world with the greatest kid."

"A kid and life I wouldn't have if I didn't have this injury. Don't you ever apologize. You saved me so I could have this wonderful life. So thank you for everything. Thank you for being my first real family, and giving me my new one. Not to mention keeping them alive if you've been guiding Izuku for the past few weeks."

"Ah, don't mention it. I'm sure Izuku would've figured it out one way or another. He's a smart kid. He's the one who set up this meeting after all."

Toshinori gasped, "If he gave One For All back to me, then does th-"

"Calm down, this isn't permanent. We're still tethered to that kid."

"How?"

Nana walked over to the edge of the rooftop, "One For All is a special quirk as you already know. If it can hold remnants of its past users, like yours truly, it's pretty obvious this quirk is sentient in some way. Let's just call it a veto. We don't wanna stay, so we don't."

Toshi furrowed his brow, "One For All can just do that?"

She tilted her hand back and forth, "Eh. Kinda, sorta, maybe. Not if the deal is officially sealed. We usually just trust the present users' judgement. After a few hours, we can't do anything about it. Not to mention you're a past user. It's kinda like trying to use an old tool to build the rest of the house even though there's a far newer and better tool ready to be used. We'd much rather pick the new one."

"Fair enough."

"Besides, Izuku is something special. He's the first one we've ever given access to our other quirks."

"Okay, now that I might have a little bit of a problem with. Other quirks would've come in real handy back when I fought All For One the first time."

Nana shrugged, "It's not like I knew about it either. You think I wanted to die?"

"I guess not." The former hero walked over to his master and gazed at the city with her. "Damn, I've missed this."

"Me too." She put a hand on his shoulder, "But like you said, you've managed to snag yourself a wonderful new life. I don't even have to make sure that you're happy. I know you 's all I ever wanted for you. And Torino, of course. God I miss that old bastard. Hey, flip him off next time you see him and tell him it's from me. He'll get a kick outta that."

"Or he'll kick my jaw in and think I'm crazy."

"I see no flaws in this plan." Both of them chuckled, silence enveloping them afterwards.

"After all this time thinking of what I wish I could've said to you, now I have no idea what to say."

"That's just fine. All I wanted was to really be with you one last time. Before you die and come live with the rest of us that is. By the way, when you do pass on, you might have to sleep on the couch until we get a new room for you. Banjo refuses to move his pool table."

"Pool tab-? I almost fell for that."

*Clik-Clak*

The sound of pool balls clinking together sounded off as a third voice, presumably Banjo, came in, "_Fell for what?"_

Toshinori pinched the bridge of his nose, "How do I know so little about my own quirk?"

"Join the club." Nana turned back to All Might, and he did the same. "I don't have much time left. Would you mind calling Izuku back up here? I wanna see my boys together."

After a quick call, Izuku was up to the roof quickly. "You're leaving already?"

Nana nodded, "Afraid so. So let me say a few things." Looking over to Toshinori, she grasped his shoulders. "I watched you grow up into everything you ever wanted to be. One of the greatest men to ever walk the face of the Earth." She wiped away a few more stray tears from Toshinori's sunken eyes. "And those years were the best of my life. Even when I had to give away my son, I found solace in knowing that I didn't lose you, too. Because, you too are my son, Toshinori Yagi. In blood, no. In spirit, heart, and mind, you are my son."

"A-And I always thought of you as my mother."

She brought his head down and kissed his forehead, "I love you, Toshi."

"I love you, too."

Nana then turned to Izuku, bringing a hand down on his head and ruffling his hair. "And then there's you! Izuku Midoriya. Strong, stubborn, heroic, adorable, smart, yada yada you get the point. I watched Toshi grow up, and I can't wait to see you grow. I broke the rules, came here to help you. And yet, you were the one who helped me settle the sorrow and grief I held in my heart. You truly are incredible, Izuku. I couldn't have asked for a better grandkid."

"I-I've had enough people think I'm biologically All Might's son. We don't need people hearing that," Izuku joked.

"Let 'em think that. Who wouldn't want to be his son?"

"That's...actually a good point."

Nana laughed, kissing Izuku's forehead. "We'll see each other again. Just call for me, and I'll be there. Or don't, because I'll probably just show up anyway. For instance, I will be there whenever you and Momo actually have a biological child."

Izuku blushed, "I-I, w-w-well that's a long time, s-"

"Don't sweat on time, kid. Just promise me that you name her Nana."

"What if it's a boy?"

"Just keep trying till you get one. You'll get there eventually." Nana stood back up, looking at both of them. "I've lived my life. Now live yours. And don't do anything stupid, because I'll be watching." Tears flowed freely from Nana's eyes as she smiled widely. "Sayonara."

And like that, she was gone.

Not completely, as Izuku could still feel her presence reside in him as One For All seeped its way back into his body. But, it would be some time before he could see her face to face again. At least until he called upon her some day.

*_Sniff*_

Izuku turned to see All Might still crying, not even bothering to wipe away the tears. He turned to his pupil and quickly pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, my boy. Thank you."

**A/N: Sayonara, Nana.**

**I have no regrets in including her in this story. I absolutely loved writing her, even if she was my own version of her.**

**I truly hope you enjoyed her, too.**

**Yeah I couldn't help myself with that TFS reference. I've done my best to stop, but that one was far too good to pass up. Damn I love that channel. Check out their charity stream on the 19th, support a good cause (free promotion because I love them so much). **

**Anyway, I know these chapters are taking a whole lot longer now. I'm really sorry. But, I can't do anything about it. With college, family stuff, work, even when I'm not busy I'm far too exhausted to write. I'll be sure to do my best, but don't expect them very fast. **

**Insecure Violet is next. So to those who love that story, I hope it'll be out soon.**

**Thank you for your patience everyone. I hope I can close out this story strong.**


End file.
